Using PERVAP 2201 Membrane in Vapor Permeation Facilitated Isopropyl Propionate Production through Esterification Reaction

Ameri, E.; Moheb, A.

Using PERVAP 2201 Membrane in Vapor Permeation Facilitated Isopropyl Propionate Production through Esterification Reaction

Document Type : Full article

Authors

E. Ameri ¹

A. Moheb ²

¹ Department of Chemical Engineering, Shahreza Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahreza, Iran

² Department of Chemical Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

A commercial flat polymeric membrane (PERVAP 2201) was employed in vapor permeation process to selectively remove water from the reaction atmosphere during the synthesis of isopropyl propionate from iso-propanol and propionic acid. The reaction was carried out in a bench scale batch reactor at three different values of alcohol/acid molar ratio (1:1, 1.5:1 and 3:1) with 3 wt% para toluene sulfonic acid (with respect to acid) as catalyst.. The polymeric membrane was in contact with only the volatile components, namely water and isopropanol, for a long period of time with no detectable defect. The conversion of the reversible esterification reaction was enhanced by simultaneous employing of the chemical reaction and the vapor permeation process, where in a set of experiments almost complete conversion was
achieved after only 140 minutes Also, results revealed that initial molar ratio of the reactants had strong effects on the acid conversion and water permeation flux through the membrane.

Keywords

Esterification

Membrane Reactor

Isopropyl Propionate

Polymeric Membrane