Reaction kinetics and reactive distillation - On the transfer of kinetic data from a batch reactor to a trickle-bed reactor

Dedicated to Professor Dr. Gerhard Emig on the occasion of his 60th birthda y. The design of reactive distillation processes requires besides the knowledg e of phase equilibrium data reliable kinetic data. This paper presents the results of kinetic measurements of acetic acid esterification with methanol together with results for the backward reaction, the hydrolysis of methyl acetate, both catalyzed by the macroreticular, strongly acidic ion-exchange resin Amberlyst 15. Microkinetic parameters are determined from batch expe riments in a thermostated stirred tank reactor. The applicability of the de rived kinetics is checked against experimental results obtained in a trickl e-bed reactor. While the trickle-bed reactor can be modeled qualitatively u sing the microkinetic parameters, some macrokinetic phenomena occur (likely selective swelling of the polymeric matrix of the catalyst). To improve th e applicability of the kinetic model, swelling phenomena are currently bein g investigated.