@article { ISI:000242285000001, title = {Comparative assessment of downstream processing options for lactic acid}, journal = {Separation and Purification Technology}, volume = {52}, number = {1}, year = {2006}, month = {NOV}, pages = {1-17}, publisher = {ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV}, type = {Article}, address = {PO BOX 211, 1000 AE AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS}, abstract = {

The possibility of manufacturing a biodegradable polymer from lactic acid has led to extensive research in recovery of lactic acid produced by fermentation, by different downstream processing routes. This paper assesses the suitability of different downstream processing options such as reactive extraction, adsorption, electrodialysis, esterification and reactive distillation. It compares the costs of different process routes. The assessment indicates that the conventional precipitation of calcium lactate, followed by acidification, esterification and hydrolysis will be the most economical route although it generates large quantity of gypsum sludge. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

}, keywords = {Adsorption, electrodialysis, Esterification, Lactic acid, Reactive distillation, reactive extraction}, issn = {1383-5866}, doi = {10.1016/j.seppur.2006.03.015}, author = {Joglekar, H. G. and Rahman, Imran and Babu, Suresh and Kulkarni, B. D. and Joshi, Ajit} } @article { ISI:000311184500039, title = {Isophorone reactor: modelling and performance enhancement}, journal = {Chemical Engineering Journal}, volume = {207}, number = {SI}, year = {2012}, note = {22nd International Symposium on Chemical Reaction Engineering (ISCRE), Maastricht, NETHERLANDS, SEP 02-05, 2012}, month = {OCT}, pages = {349-367}, publisher = {ELSEVIER SCIENCE SA}, address = {PO BOX 564, 1001 LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND}, abstract = {

The production of isophorone in a reactive distillation column was modelled. Mass transfer and heat transfer accompanied by chemical reactions were incorporated in a dynamic non-equilibrium multistage model. A base case simulation was identified and established. The base case simulation showed the value of key performance indicator that is mass ratio of acetone consumed to isophorone produced as 1.54. The computational model was then used to understand and to evaluate influence of various key design and operating parameters on this key performance indicator. Influence of reactor volume, mass transfer coefficient and feed composition, location and temperature was evaluated. The simulated results indicate that the key performance indicator can be improved (reduce acetone consumed per isophorone produced) by manipulating acetone content in the feed and location of the feed. The presented results will be useful for realising performance enhancement of isophorone and other similar reactors. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

}, keywords = {Isophorone, Model, Performance enhancement, Reactive distillation}, issn = {1385-8947}, doi = {10.1016/j.cej.2012.06.137}, author = {Darda, Pranay J. and Ranade, Vivek V.} } @article {46939, title = {Intensified reactive distillation configurations for production of dimethyl ether}, journal = {Chemical Engineering and Processing-Process Intensification}, volume = {149}, year = {2020}, month = {MAR}, pages = {107824}, type = {Article}, abstract = {

The combustion properties of dimethyl ether (DME) are similar to the conventional fuels; hence it is being used as a promising green energy source. The conventional method of DME production by methanol dehydration is highly energy consuming due to the use of a series of distillation columns. In the present study, an energy efficient reactive distillation configuration is proposed for DME production which leads to higher methanol conversion with less energy requirement as compared to reported configurations. The reactive distillation (RD) and dual reaction zone reactive divided wall column (RDWC) were analyzed using steady state ASPEN simulations. Subsequently, all the design parameters were optimized by sensitivity analysis to minimize the Total Annual Cost (TAC) of the configuration. The results showed that the RD column is more energy efficient than RDWC as it requires 10.68 \% less TAC. The proposed RD and dual reaction zone RDWC configurations were found to have less specific energy requirements and less cost per kg of DME than any other configuration reported earlier.

}, keywords = {Energy efficient configuration, Reactive distillation, Reactive divided wall column, Total annual cost}, issn = {0255-2701}, doi = {10.1016/j.cep.2020.107824}, author = {Gor, Nikhil K. and Mali, Nilesh A. and Joshi, Sunil S.} }