ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Multiple steady states in a CSTR with total condenser: Comparison of equilibrium and nonequilibrium models

Z. Švandová, J. Markoš, and Ľ. Jelemenský

Institute of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

E-mail: jozef.markos@stuba.sk

Received: 3 April 2006  Revised: 14 June 2006  Accepted: 11 July 2006

Abstract: Comparison of equilibrium and nonequilibrium models of a CSTR with total condenser focused on the multiple steady states and dynamic behaviour was carried out. The steady-state behaviour of the model system, MTBE synthesis from methanol and isobutene in a reactive distillation column, was studied in terms of the input parameters, i. e. feed flow rate of methanol or butenes, reflux ratio, and mass of catalyst. The dynamic behaviour of the system during the start-up was investigated and perturbations of manipulated variables were found to cause transitions between the parallel steady states.

Keywords: CSTR - equilibrium model - nonequilibrium model - multiple steady states - reactive distillation - MTBE

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-006-0079-8

Chemical Papers 60 (6) 432–440 (2006)