Kinetic modelling and simulation studies for the esterification process with Amberlyst 16 resin

Methyl acetate has been synthesized by the reaction between acetic acid and methanol in an experimental batch reactor. The reaction has been carried out homogeneously without using any catalyst and heterogeneously by using Amberlyst 16 resin catalyst. The reaction is performed using different temperatures in the range of 318.15-333.15 K. The reaction catalyzed by Amberlyst 16 is found faster than the uncatalyzed reaction and the influence of process parameters such as catalyst loading, reaction mixture temperature, initial reactant mole ratio, catalyst size, agitation speed on acetic acid conversion has been investigated experimentally for the catalyzed reaction. Further, pseudo-homogeneous kinetic models have been developed for the catalyzed reaction and the uncatalyzed reaction. The reaction rate expressions of catalyzed reaction and uncatalyzed reaction are used to derive the reaction rate equation influenced by the catalyst alone. This rate equation is useful to examine the influence of catalyst alone in the heterogeneously catalyzed methanol esterification reaction.