Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol.49, No.14, 6350-6361, 2010
Reactive Distillation for Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis: Feasible Solution Space
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis can be advantageously carried out in reactive distillation (RD) mode. Parametric studies like the effect of reflux ratio, pressure, etc. have been reported in our earlier work [Srinivas et al. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2009, 48, 4719-4730] using Aspen Plus. As an extension of this work, multiparameter sensitivity analysis is performed on a simple RD configuration without side-draws or side-coolers in Aspen Plus, retaining the kinetic and thermodynamic models used previously. A feasible solution space in terms of reflux ratio, pressure, and total catalyst loading is identified and possible reasons for the bounds observed are provided. Changes in the column configuration toward various objectives like maximum conversion, maximum gasoline yield, or selectivity, etc. are also investigated. Regions of interest corresponding to different objectives are represented on a Da-reflux ratio plot.