Abstract This paper studies on separation of acetonitrile-1-propanol by extractive distillation. First, N-methyl pyrrolidone was chosen as the solvent by the basic selection rules and the UNIFAC group contribution method. The simulation of vapor-liquid equilibrium using NRTL model for acetonitrile-1-propanol with and without N-methyl pyrrolidone under atmospheric pressure and vapor-liquid equilibrium experiment were performed and the simulation results agreed well with the experimental data. Then the batch extractive distillation experiment was performed to investigate the effectiveness of the selected solvent. The results show that N-methyl pyrrolidone as solvent can break the azeotrope of acetonitrile-1-propanol system and separate the azeotrope effectively. The batch extractive distillation was carried out in a packed column of 28 theoretical plates and the extractive solvent flowed inside on the fourth plate. With the reflux ratio of 3 and the solvent mole ratio of 1∶1, the product mass fraction of acetonitrile reaches 98.6%. Finally, Aspen Plus was used to simulate the continuous extractive distillation process and the technological parameters can provide some reference basis for the industrial production.
ZHAO Han-Xue, BAI Peng, GAO Rui-Chang, LI Ying, LI Shuai-Rong.Separation of Acetonitrile-1-Propanol by Extractive Distillation[J] Chemcial Industry and Engineering, 2014,V31(6): 35-40
2014, Vol. 31 
