Aldol condensation of <i>n</i>‐butyraldehyde in a biphasic stirred tank reactor: Experiments and models

Abstract

To model a biphasic stirred tank reactor, intrinsic reaction kinetics and interfacial area are required. In this study, reactor modeling for n‐butyraldehyde aldol condensation was investigated under industrially relevent conditions. The interfacial area in the reactor was directly measured using a borescope system under appropriate temperature, NaOH concentration and rpm conditions. To estimate the interfacial area, a semiempirical correlation was developed, which provides good estimates within ±15% error. The reactor model based on two‐film theory was developed, combining the interfacial area and intrinsic reaction kinetics reported in our prior work. The model was verified by reaction experiments in the range 0.05–1.9 M NaOH, 80–130°C, and 600–1000 rpm. The prediction errors using the interfacial area from direct measurements and the correlation were ±8% and ±15%, respectively, suggesting that the model accuracy may be improved with better interfacial area estimation. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 2228–2239, 2015