Pervaporation Reactor for Enhanced Esterification of Lactic Acid and Isobutyl Alcohol

The esterification of lactic acid and isobutyl alcohol to isobutyl lactate and water was intensified. An ex situ pervaporation reactor (PVR) shifted the equilibrium towards the formation of isobutyl lactate. The effects of temperature, molar acid/alcohol ratio, catalyst loading, and ratio of effective membrane area to total reaction volume were investigated with and without a PVR. Lactic acid conversion beyond reaction equilibrium was enhanced with such a reactor. The partial fluxes of the individual components were evaluated for each reaction parameter indicating that the membrane was selective towards separation of water and exhibited a good performance. The performance of the ex situ PVR was studied, which revealed that the water removal rate exceeded the water production rate.