| Abstract: | The steady-state and transient behavior of a continuous stirred-tank reactor for melt transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol in the presence of metal acetate catalyst is presented. The kinetic model includes the main transesterification reactions and side reactions leading to diethylene glycol and carboxylic acid end groups. The effect of various reactro operating parameters such as [EG]/[DMT] mole ratio and feed catalyst concentration on the product distribution under steady-state reactor operating conditions is analyzed. The dynamic process model has also been solved and the reactor transients to step changes in various reactor parameters are reported. |
