Development of the Kinetic Parameters for Enhanced Production of Ethylene Glycol in a Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor

Abstract

This research aims to optimize the kinetic parameters of the ethylene glycol production process in a Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR) using Matrix Laboratory (MATLAB) simulations to enhance the efficiency of the process. Ethylene glycol is a petrochemical product that plays an essential role in various industries due to its applications in the production of paint, polyesters, synthetic waxes, plastics, coolants, and automotive radiators. As such, process industries have been making significant efforts to produce ethylene glycol more effectively. The proposed method involved the simulation of the CSTR process using MATLAB based on the principles of mass and energy conservation. The initial and final reaction kinetic parameters for the process were obtained from literature data and were optimized using an Excel spreadsheet and the simulation tool. The optimized kinetic parameters resulted in better performance characteristics as indicated by the profiles of temperature and concentration of ethylene glycol, which indicated a significant increase in the yield of ethylene glycol using the optimized parameters. The optimized kinetic parameters were found to be (21793kJ/mol and 88.9781g/mol) for activation energy, (0.044185-1 and 0.07035-1) for the pre-exponential factor, and (0.70% and 0.10%), (0.01% and 0.18%), and (0.87% and 34.10%) for the rate constant, temperature, and catalyst loading, respectively. These optimized parameters led to higher yields and purities of the target product, ethylene glycol, indicating that the optimization of kinetic parameters was an effective strategy for enhancing the efficiency of the ethylene glycol production process. The simulation of the CSTR process using MATLAB and the optimization of kinetic parameters showed promising results in enhancing the efficiency of the ethylene glycol production process. The model proposed in this research can be used as a basis for designing more efficient and cost-effective processes for ethylene glycol production and other chemical reactions in CSTRs.