Based on a previous investigation

a simulationmodelwas used for optimization of coproduction of ethyl acetate and n-butyl acetate by reactive distillation. An experimental setupwas established to verify the simulated results. The effects of various operating variables

such as ethanol feed location

acetic acid feed location

feed stage of reaction mixture of acetic acid and n-butanol

reflux ratio of ethyl acetate reactive distillation column

and distillate to feed ratio of n-butyl acetate column

on the ethanol/n-butanol conversions

ethyl acetate/n-butyl acetate purity

and energy consumption were investigated. The optimal results in the simulation study are as follows: ethanol feed location

15th stage; acetic acid feed location

eighth stage; feed location of reactionmixture of acetic acid and n-butanol

eighth stage; reflux ratio of ethyl acetate reactive distillation column

2.0; and distillate to feed ratio of n-butyl acetate

0.6.