Modeling of Ethylene Glycol Production from Glucose in a Semi‐Continuous Reactor

Carlos Murillo (1) , Ghislain Irakoze (1) , Karine de Oliveira Vigier (2) , Michel Delmas (1) , François Jérôme (2) , Yolande Peres-Lucchese (1) , Martine Urrutigoity (3) , Patrick Cognet (1)

1 LGC - Laboratoire de Génie Chimique
2 IC2MP [Poitiers] - Institut de chimie des milieux et matériaux de Poitiers [UMR 7285]
3 LCC - Laboratoire de chimie de coordination

A numerical study describes the catalytic conversion of glucose into ethylene glycol (EG) in a semi-batch reactor. This analysis couples a set of power law models (homogeneous reactions) and Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson (LHHW) equations (hydrogenations). For this purpose, the kinetic parameters of the LHHW expressions are estimated for the reaction conditions. Then, the kinetic model evaluates the influence of the H2 pressure and the catalyst concentrations on the selectivity. The results indicate that the EG yield is increased by setting the temperature and the H2 pressure. In this manner, the process reduces the hexitols and methane production and increases the EG yield. The originality of the work is based on the influence of the H2 pressure and the catalyst concentrations in the model.

Mots clés: semi-continuous reaction; Ethylene glycol; glucose; reaction kinetics; modelling

Domaines: Chimie de coordination

Carlos Murillo, Ghislain Irakoze, Karine de Oliveira Vigier, Michel Delmas, François Jérôme, et al.. Modeling of Ethylene Glycol Production from Glucose in a Semi‐Continuous Reactor. Chemical Engineering and Technology, 2020, 43 (5), pp.950-963. ⟨10.1002/ceat.201900346⟩. ⟨hal-02877774⟩