Plant area 3 - Preliminary Hydrolysis Reactor

Levenspiel Plot
400

Methyl Formate Hydrolysis

is autocatalytic so two
reactor system is chosen.
Reactor cost was modelled
at various levels of
conversion and 10% was
chosen.
Due to low levels of
conversion no heating is
required for the
preliminary hydrolysis
reactor.

300
Fa0/-ra

200
100
0
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

Conversion vs estimated reactor costs

1300000
1200000
1100000
Total estimated reactor cost ($) 1000000
900000
800000
0.05

0.15

Conversion

0.25

Plant area 4- Main Hydrolysis Reactor

CSTR chosen for ease
of control of variables
such as temperature.
Due to increased costs
at higher conversion
because of equilibrium
constraints 60%
conversion chosen.
Flash Evaporator
allows for easy recycle
of unreacted materials.