Reactive and catalytic distillation from an industrial perspective

Reactive and catalytic distillation has attracted growing interest, both in industry and in scientific research. This contribution gives an overview will of the tools that are available today and the methods that have now been introduced into the industrial practice in a large chemical company. A process synthesis gives good qualitative reference points. Simulation tools have been developed which are mainly equilibrium-based. However, further steps are necessary on the way to implementation in an industrial plant. The scale-up from the miniplant used for the experimental validation of a new process is well known for conventional distillation, but complicated by several facts for reactive distillation specifically in the case of heterogeneous catalysis. To overcome these problems reference plant experience on an industrial scale is necessary or—if not available—will require future research. Other options both for homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis are possible and will be discussed in the contribution. Attention is drawn to the fact that a combination of reaction and distillation does not necessarily have to be operated in a column. For slower reactions a broad range of equipment not necessarily containing columns can be used.