Novel intensified process for ethanolamines production using reactive distillation and dividing-wall column technologies

Monoethanolamine is an essential chemical used as feedstock in the production of detergents, emulsifiers, pharmaceuticals, polishes, corrosion inhibitors, and chemical intermediates. It is produced industrially by treating ethylene oxide with aqueous ammonia, but the reaction also leads to di- and tri-ethanolamine as less desired by-products. This study is the first to propose an intensified process for the production of ethanolamines combining reactive distillation (RD) and dividing-wall column (DWC) technologies. The process was optimized to maximize the MEA selectivity (over 71%), as the ratio of the products can be controlled by the stoichiometry of the reactants. Rigorous process simulations and sensitivity analysis of key process parameters have been carried out using Aspen Plus, for a plant with a production capacity of 11.5 ktpy ethanolamines. The overall process has been designed to produce ethanolamines with minimal energy utilization and reduced capital cost. Economic and sustainability analysis have been carried out showing the key benefits of the proposed process as compared to the conventional one used in industry: CapEx reduction of 7.3%, OpEx savings of 42%, and TAC improvements of 31.3%.