Accepted author manuscript, 594 KB, PDF document
Available under license: CC BY-NC-ND: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
Final published version
Licence: CC BY-NC-ND: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Process simulation of sodium methoxide production from methanol and sodium hydroxide using reactive distillation coupled with pervaporation
AU - Aeamsuksai, Natthiyar
AU - Mueansichai, Thirawat
AU - Charoensuppanimit, Pongtorn
AU - Kim-Lohsoontorn1, Pattaraporn
AU - Aiouache, Farid
AU - Assabumrungrat, Suttichai
PY - 2020/11/30
Y1 - 2020/11/30
N2 - This research investigates the process simulation of sodium methoxide(NaOCH3) synthesis from methanol (CH3OH) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) under three synthesis schemes: schemes A, B, and C. Scheme A consisted of one equilibrium reactor and two distillation columns, scheme B one reactive distillation column and one distillation column, and scheme C one reactive distillation column and pervaporation membrane. The simulation parameters included CH3OH/NaOH feed flow ratio (1.2-1.6), number of stages (5-30), bottom flow rate (1400-1600 kg/h), and feed stage location (5, 10,15, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24). The simulation parameters were varied to determine the optimal NaOCH3 synthetic conditions under different schemes with 0.01 wt% water content, maximum 45 wt% NaOCH3, and lowest total energy consumption. The results showed that scheme C had the lowest total energy consumption (34.25 GJ/h) under the optimal synthetic condition of 1.4 for CH3OH/NaOH feed flow ratio, 25 for the number of stages, 1550 kg/h for the bottom flow rate, and the 24th feed stage location, with the NaOCH3 flow rate of 675 kg/h. Scheme C thus holds promising potential as an energy efficient alternative for synthesis of NaOCH3. The novelty of this research lies in the use of pervaporation membrane in place of distillation column to separate CH3OH from water and to lower energy consumption and capital cost.
AB - This research investigates the process simulation of sodium methoxide(NaOCH3) synthesis from methanol (CH3OH) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) under three synthesis schemes: schemes A, B, and C. Scheme A consisted of one equilibrium reactor and two distillation columns, scheme B one reactive distillation column and one distillation column, and scheme C one reactive distillation column and pervaporation membrane. The simulation parameters included CH3OH/NaOH feed flow ratio (1.2-1.6), number of stages (5-30), bottom flow rate (1400-1600 kg/h), and feed stage location (5, 10,15, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24). The simulation parameters were varied to determine the optimal NaOCH3 synthetic conditions under different schemes with 0.01 wt% water content, maximum 45 wt% NaOCH3, and lowest total energy consumption. The results showed that scheme C had the lowest total energy consumption (34.25 GJ/h) under the optimal synthetic condition of 1.4 for CH3OH/NaOH feed flow ratio, 25 for the number of stages, 1550 kg/h for the bottom flow rate, and the 24th feed stage location, with the NaOCH3 flow rate of 675 kg/h. Scheme C thus holds promising potential as an energy efficient alternative for synthesis of NaOCH3. The novelty of this research lies in the use of pervaporation membrane in place of distillation column to separate CH3OH from water and to lower energy consumption and capital cost.
KW - Sodium methoxide
KW - methanol
KW - sodium hydroxide
KW - reactive distillation
KW - pervaporation
KW - process simulation
U2 - 10.4186/ej.2020.24.6.63
DO - 10.4186/ej.2020.24.6.63
M3 - Journal article
VL - 24
SP - 63
EP - 77
JO - Engineering Journal
JF - Engineering Journal
SN - 0125-8281
IS - 6
ER -