Process Simulation-Driven Optimization of Acetic Acid Recovery: Azeotropic Distillation with n-Propyl Acetate
The recovery of acetic acid is essential for various industries, but aqueous acetic acid solutions are particularly challenging to separate at high purity due to the presence of a pinch point at water molar fractions greater than 0.9. Simple binary distillation faces significant limitations in achie...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
AIDIC Servizi S.r.l.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Chemical Engineering Transactions |
| Online Access: | https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/15409 |
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| Summary: | The recovery of acetic acid is essential for various industries, but aqueous acetic acid solutions are particularly challenging to separate at high purity due to the presence of a pinch point at water molar fractions greater than 0.9. Simple binary distillation faces significant limitations in achieving high-purity separation, prompting the exploration of heterogeneous azeotropic distillation using n-propyl acetate as an entrainer to improve separation efficiency. This study focuses on optimizing the azeotropic distillation process and comparing it with simple binary distillation for the separation of water/acetic acid mixtures. Cross-validation between simulated and experimental data was performed to ensure the accuracy of the results. Additionally, a Life Cycle Assessment was conducted to assess and compare the environmental impact of both distillation methods, along with an evaluation of the differences in their energy demand. |
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| ISSN: | 2283-9216 |