Recovery of Dilute Acetic Acid by Catalytic Distillation Using NKC-9 as Catalyst

The reaction kinetics of dilute acetic acid with methanol using NKC-9 as catalyst was studied at temperatures of 308 K, 318 K, 323 K, 328 K. The kinetic model based on Langmuir-Hinshelwood rate model was derived and the activation energy was 6.13 x 104 kJ/kmol. The experiment of recovery of dilute acetic acid was conducted in a packed bed catalytic distillation column. The optimal process parameters and operational conditions determined to make up to 85.9% conversion of acetic acid are as follows:the height of catalyst bed is 1 100 mm, reflux ratio is 4: 1, and the ratio of methanol to acetic acid is 2: 1. The method can be used as a guide in industrial scale recovery of 15%-30% dilute acetic acid.