Reactive distillation in complex columns by McCabe-Thiele method

Mathematical modeling of reactive distillation columns for binary mixtures has been carried out,in which multiple feeds introduced and more than one side stream withdrawn from the column when graphical method proposed by McCabe-Thiele has been used. A program was developed inMATLAB software which is able to determine the flow rate of overhead and bottom products of reactive distillation column, equilibrium data at each stage and plot McCabe-Thiele diagram. The order of reaction, conversion, the equilibrium data of two components, flow rate of feed and sidestreams and the fraction of components in input and output streams are used as inputs. The program used for isomerization reactions at different conditions of with and without azeotrope. The simulation data for isomerization reactions with azeotrope has been compared with the resultsof ASPEN software that it is seen a good agreement. Also in this program the effect of Murphree efficiency on the results has been considered

Keywords:

reactive distillation , complex column , binary mixtures , McCabe-Thiele method