Studying the alkylbenzenes sulfonation process using the mathematical model considering the mass transfer

Abstract

Linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid (ABSA) is used to produce industrial and domestic synthetic detergents and is obtained via a multistage technology. Unsteady-state mathematical model considering mass transfer was developed for linear alkylbenzenes (LAB) sulfonation technological stage. With use of the developed model we studied how the modes in the film sulfonation reactor influence the product quality and yield. The varied parameters were SO3 concentration in the air flow, process temperature and SO3/LAB molar ratio. It was found that the air flow rate of 10,000 m3/h, temperature 30 °C, pressure 170 kPa are the optimal process conditions. Under these conditions, the degree of the feedstock conversion is close to 1, and the share of the target product is about 98.4 wt.%.

Keywords

• Sulfonation
• Alkylbenzene
• Alkylbenzenesulfonic acid
• Sulfuric anhydride
• Mathematical model
• Mass transfer