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6048524 
Journal Article 
Revisiting Classic Acetic Acid Synthesis: Optimal Hydrogen Consumption and Carbon Dioxide Utilization 
Medrano-Garcia, JD; Ruiz-Femenia, R; Caballero, JA 
2019 
1 
Computer - Aided Chemical Engineering
ISSN: 1570-7946
EISSN: 2543-1331 
Elsevier 
Computer Aided Chemical Engineering 
46 
145-150 
WOS:000495447200025 
Acetic acid is a bulk chemical with many applications in the manufacture of several important products. The carbon footprint of its classic synthesis process (methanol carbonylation) is around 1.3921 - 1.8746 kg CO2-eq/kg, which adds up as the commodity is used in further syntheses. Hence, a reduction in the acetic acid synthesis Global Warming Potential (GWP) would impact in many end products GWP. We propose an acetic acid synthesis superstructure, including different syngas synthesis processes, gas separation technologies and methanol synthesis, which is aimed at reducing both the cost and GWP of the process. Results show that, integrating the methanol synthesis process provides the best results in both objectives. When minimizing the cost (classic synthesis) is best to use an Auto-thermal Reforming (ATR) and CO absorption configuration (0.388 $/kg, 1.832 kgCO2-eq/kg). Adding a fuel cell and a Reverse Water Gas Shift (RWGS) reactor overall reduces both cost and emission (0.280 $/kg, 1.590 kgCO2-eq/kg) of the synthesis and changes the configuration to Partial Oxidation (POX) and cryogenic distillation. Minimum emission (0.102 kgCO2-eq/kg) can also be achieved with the fuel cell plus RWGS combo, POX and Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA), although the cost is almost tripled (0.978 $/kg). 
CO2 utilization; methane reforming; carbon monoxide separation; reverse water gas shift; acetic acid synthesis 
Özkan, Leyla