Model-Based Analysis for Ethylene Carbonate Hydrogenation Operation in Industrial-Type Tubular Reactors

Hydrogenation of ethylene carbonate (EC) to co-produce methanol (MeOH) and ethylene glycol (EG) offers an atomically economic route for CO2 utilization. Herein, aided with bench and pilot plant data, we established engineering a kinetics model and multiscale reactor models for heterogeneous EC hydro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Processes 2022-04, Vol.10 (4), p.688
Main Authors: Huang, Hai, Cao, Chenxi, Wang, Yue, Yang, Youwei, Lv, Jianning, Xu, Jing
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adiabatic
Alcohol
Boiling water reactors
Carbon
Carbon dioxide
Conduction cooling
Conduction heating
Design optimization
Energy
Ethylene
Ethylene glycol
Fixed bed reactors
Heat
Hydrogenation
Reactor design
Temperature profiles
Turbulence models
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Summary:Hydrogenation of ethylene carbonate (EC) to co-produce methanol (MeOH) and ethylene glycol (EG) offers an atomically economic route for CO2 utilization. Herein, aided with bench and pilot plant data, we established engineering a kinetics model and multiscale reactor models for heterogeneous EC hydrogenation using representative industrial-type reactors. Model-based analysis indicates that single-stage adiabatic reactors, despite a moderate temperature rise of 12 K, suffer from a narrow operational window delimited by EC condensation at lower temperatures and intense secondary EG hydrogenation at higher temperatures. Boiling water cooled multi-tubular reactors feature near-isothermal operation and exhibit better operability, especially under high pressure and low space velocity. Conduction oil-cooled reactors show U-type axial temperature profiles, rendering even wider operational windows regarding coolant temperatures than the water-cooled reactor. The revelation of operational characteristics of EC hydrogenation under industrial conditions will guide further improvement in reactor design and process optimization.
ISSN:2227-9717
2227-9717
DOI:10.3390/pr10040688