The Simulation Study On The Process Of Producing Formic Acid By Hydrolysis

A new process of the preparation for formic acid by hydrolysis of methyl formate has been studied on in this project. Based on saving energy consumption, it has researched to solve the reesterification problem, so that we can improve the production capacity of formic acid and reduce the energy consumption during the producing cost. It is discovered that there is a high concentration area for methanol in the gas phase in the distillation system of methyl formate-water-formic acid-methanol. In this area, we can take methanol out of the distillation in the form of gas state. By doing this, we can realize the purpose of suppressing the reesterification of formic acid.The Petrophysical Parameter Model and hydrolysis kinetic model was acquired at first by Apen Plus simulation. Based on the two models, the case of distillation column and reactor coupling was specifically researched. That contained the reaction situation and operation of the column that separate the hydrolysis mixtures were mainly studied on. By doing this many factors were involved which contain the effect of the quantity of lateral-line and top discharging, the feeds location, reflux ratio and so on. Besides, it has optimized the operation condition of the other columns. On the basis of that the whole process has been optimized, it researched the effect of the water-methyl formate molar ratio on the conversion per pass of methyl formate and the energy consumption. To the distillation column, it has been proved that the quantity of lateral-line discharging and reflux ratio have a great influence on the reaction in the hydrolysis distillation column. That is that the more quantity of the lateral-line discharging is the more formic acid produced in the column, and the influence of reflux ratio is the same like the quantity of the lateral-line discharging when the number of it is bigger than0.5. The more the water-methyl formate molar ratio is the more the energy consumption will be. But within the study conditions, when the water-methyl formate molar ratio is2.5:1, the value of the conversion per pass of methyl formate is the biggest. By the compare between this new process and Leonard process, it proves that the former make the distillation energy consumption lower and the value of the conversion per pass of methyl formate is the bigger. This study is based on the distillation principles and the industrial producing, after all distillation column were optimized, operation parameters were gotten. So, this research can be regarded as the theoretical basis of the industrial production in the future.