The kinetic behavior of the heterogeneous esterification of acetic acid with amyl alcohol over an
acidic cation-exchange resin, Dowex 50Wx8-100, was investigated. The experiments were
conducted in a fixed-bed reactor at temperatures from 323 to 393 K and at molar ratios of feed
(amyl alcohol to acetic acid) from 1 to 10. The equilibrium conversion of acetic acid was found
to increase with increasing reaction temperature. A water-rich phase (the second liquid phase)
appeared in the reacting mixture when the feed composition was close to stoichiometric. Gas
bubble formation was observed when the reaction temperature was as high as 393 K. The kinetic
data were correlated with the quasi-homogeneous, Langmuir−Hinshelwood, Eley−Rideal, and
modified Langmuir−Hinshelwood models. The modified Langmuir-Hinshelwood model yielded
the best representation for the kinetic behavior of the reaction over wide ranges of temperature
and feed composition.
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