Removal of acetic acid from water by catalytic distillation. Part 1: Experimental studies

Catalytic distillation experiments were carried out in a 100 mm diameter co lumn for the removal of dilute acetic acid from water. The column was insta lled with a novel internal composed of alternating a dualflow tray and a ca talyst basket. Amberlyst 15 was used as a catalyst to accelerate the esteri fication of acetic acid with methanol. The effects of various operating par ameters on the acid removal were investigated. For the feed which contains 2.5 to 9.9 wt% of acetic acid in wafer, more than 50 wt% of acetic acid can be recovered as methyl acetate in the 1.5 meter high test column.