Design of isosorbide crystallization process as recovery system for poly(ethylene-co-isosorbide) terephthalate production via solubility measurements and crystallization kinetic parameter estimation

The solubility of isosorbide in ethylene glycol was measured and the crystallization kinetic parameters were estimated via seeded batch cooling crystallization. The saturation concentration of isosorbide was measured using a density meter, which enabled rapid and accurate measurement of the concentration. The parameters were estimated by fitting the concentration and average crystal size changes to the simulation results by solving the population balance equation. Crystallization using continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR) was simulated with the obtained parameters, and the reliability of the simulation was verified with experiments. The kinetic parameters estimated from seeded batch crystallization experiments can be used for the prediction of crystallization under seeded conditions, such as CSTR. The CSTR crystallizer predictions and estimated parameters are consistent with the results of CSTR experiments. The amount and composition of residue obtained from industrial poly(ethylene-co-isosorbide) terephthalate process was predicted, and recovery processes and optimum operating conditions are proposed via simulation using Aspen Plus.