Design of a Reactive Distillation Column for Direct Preparation of Dichloropropanol from Glycerol

Abstract

In the present study, a reactor design for the direct preparation of dichloropropanol (DCP) from glycerol (GLY) is presented. As an optimum design, a reactive distillation (RD) column in which the second chlorination of GLY occurs during the direct preparation of DCP from GLY has been introduced. Using a simple equilibrium mathematical model of RD, a pilot plant scale column is designed. Furthermore, the whole preparation process of DCP from GLY used the optimum RD column as the central unit is simulated by using an advanced software tool, namely ASPEN PLUS. The pilot plant realization of the whole preparation process is presented and its results are compared with the theoretical prediction. On the basis of the pilot plant data and simulated results, a new technology of DCP production has been designed.