Improving Energy Efficiency with Reusage Outlet Stream of Heat Exchanger for Acrylic Acid Production from Propylene Oxidation

Nasywa Aprilia Deanti; Alexander Nathanael Owen; Christine Elisha Simarmata; Jananda Kristian Sidabukke; Muhammad Aymanhadi Maulana Almasyah; Sarah Agnesia Silaen

doi:10.9767/jcerp.20596

DOI: https://doi.org/10.9767/jcerp.20596

Improving Energy Efficiency with Reusage Outlet Stream of Heat Exchanger for Acrylic Acid Production from Propylene Oxidation

Nasywa Aprilia Deanti , Alexander Nathanael Owen, Christine Elisha Simarmata, Jananda Kristian Sidabukke, Muhammad Aymanhadi Maulana Almasyah, Sarah Agnesia Silaen

Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Diponegoro, Jl. Prof. Sudarto, SH, Tembalang, Semarang, Indonesia

Received: 12 Dec 2025; Revised: 19 Dec 2025; Accepted: 22 Dec 2025; Available online: 20 Jan 2026; Published: 30 Jun 2026.

Editor(s): Istadi Istadi

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Fulltext View|Download

BibTex Citation Data :

@article{JCERP20596,
    author = {Nasywa Aprilia Deanti and Alexander Nathanael Owen and Christine Elisha Simarmata and Jananda Kristian Sidabukke and Muhammad Aymanhadi Maulana Almasyah and Sarah Agnesia Silaen},
    title = {Improving Energy Efficiency with Reusage Outlet Stream of Heat Exchanger for Acrylic Acid Production from Propylene Oxidation},
    journal = {Journal of Chemical Engineering Research Progress},
  volume = {3},
    number = {1},
    year = {2026},
    keywords = {Acrylic acid; Propylene oxidation; Aspen Plus; Plug flow reactor; Heat integration; Energy efficiency},
    abstract = { Acrylic acid is a pivotal chemical intermediate extensively utilized in the manufacture of superabsorbent polymers, coatings, adhesives, and acrylate esters. Conventional production via propylene oxidation is markedly energy intensive and generates substantial by products, highlighting the imperative for process enhancement. The objective of this study is to advance energy efficiency in acrylic acid synthesis by reusing outlet stream heat from the heat exchanger during propylene oxidation. Aspen Plus simulations were employed to model propylene oxidation in a plug flow reactor under isothermal conditions with external cooling. The revised design incorporated heat integration strategies, most notably redirecting surplus heat from heater H-302 to fulfill the reboiler duty of distillation column T-304. Comparative evaluation demonstrated that this modification reduces external energy demand, augments conversion efficiency, and stabilizes thermal performance. In addition, the implementation of a heat transfer fluid recycle loop curtailed energy losses and enhanced operational consistency across both reactor and separation units. Mass and energy balance analyses confirmed that the modified configuration delivers superior efficiency while diminishing reliance on external utilities. Collectively, the findings underscore that process intensification coupled with heat integration provides a more sustainable and economically advantageous pathway for acrylic acid production. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by Universitas Diponegoro and BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 ). },
   issn = {3032-7059},   pages = {107--111}  doi = {10.9767/jcerp.20596},
    url = {https://journal.bcrec.id/index.php/jcerp/article/view/20596}
}

Citation Format:

Abstract

Acrylic acid is a pivotal chemical intermediate extensively utilized in the manufacture of superabsorbent polymers, coatings, adhesives, and acrylate esters. Conventional production via propylene oxidation is markedly energy intensive and generates substantial by products, highlighting the imperative for process enhancement. The objective of this study is to advance energy efficiency in acrylic acid synthesis by reusing outlet stream heat from the heat exchanger during propylene oxidation. Aspen Plus simulations were employed to model propylene oxidation in a plug flow reactor under isothermal conditions with external cooling. The revised design incorporated heat integration strategies, most notably redirecting surplus heat from heater H-302 to fulfill the reboiler duty of distillation column T-304. Comparative evaluation demonstrated that this modification reduces external energy demand, augments conversion efficiency, and stabilizes thermal performance. In addition, the implementation of a heat transfer fluid recycle loop curtailed energy losses and enhanced operational consistency across both reactor and separation units. Mass and energy balance analyses confirmed that the modified configuration delivers superior efficiency while diminishing reliance on external utilities. Collectively, the findings underscore that process intensification coupled with heat integration provides a more sustainable and economically advantageous pathway for acrylic acid production. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by Universitas Diponegoro and BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

Keywords: Acrylic acid; Propylene oxidation; Aspen Plus; Plug flow reactor; Heat integration; Energy efficiency

Article Metrics:

Article Info

Section: Original Research Articles

Language : EN

In 2026: JCERP, Volume 3 Issue 1 Year 2026 (June) (Issue in Progress)

Recent articles

Improved Conversion Performance in Methyl Chloride Production from Methanol and Hydrogen Chloride Through Heat Exchanger Based Waste Heat Recovery and Process Modification Purity Enhancement of Vinyl Chloride Monomer from Ethylene Dichloride Using Distillation Column Optimization and Recycle Integration Recovery and Utilization of Waste Heat from Cooler Effluent for Preheating Applications More recent articles

Bhagwat, S.S., Li, Y., Cortés-Peña, Y.R., Brace, E.C., Martin, T.A., Zhao, H., Guest, J.S. (2021). Sustainable production of acrylic acid via 3-hydroxypropionic acid from lignocellulosic biomass. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 9(49), 16659-16669. DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.1c05441
Bansod, Y., Jafari, M., Pawanipagar, P., Ghasemzadeh, K., Spallina, V., D'Agostino, C. (2025). Techno-economic assessment of bio-based routes for acrylic acid production. Green Chemistry, 27(35), 10612-10632. DOI: 10.1039/D5GC01769F
Deitermann, M., Huang, Z., Lechler, S., Merko, M., Muhler, M. (2022). Non‐Classical Conversion of Methanol to Formaldehyde. Chemie Ingenieur Technik, 94(11), 1573-1590. DOI: 10.1002/cite.202200083
Duque, A., Tusso-Pinzon, R.A., Ochoa, S. (2024). Sustainable Plantwide Optimizing Control for an Acrylic Acid Process. ACS Omega, 9(23), 24268-24280. DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c09327
Farhan, M.S., Barus, A.D.A.T., Bahij, A.H., Nadeak, K.B.P. (2025). Optimalization Conversion of Propylene to Acrylic Acid. Journal of Chemical Engineering Research Progress, 2(2), 216–222. DOI: 10.9767/jcerp.20433
Kao, C.S., Hu, K.H. (2002). Acrylic reactor runaway and explosion accident analysis. Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, 15(3), 213-222. DOI: 10.1016/S0950-4230(01)00070-5
Ortiz Martínez, V.M., Saavedra, M.I., Salar García, M.J., Godínez, C., Lozano-Blanco, L.J., Sanchez-Segado, S. (2023). Conceptual Process Design to Produce Bio-Acrylic Acid via Gas Phase Dehydration of Lactic Acid Produced from Carob Pod Extracts. Processes, 11(2), 457. DOI: 10.3390/pr11020457
Pawanipagar, P., Ghasemzadeh, K., D'Agostino, C., Spallina, V. (2025). Reactor intensification on glycerol-to-acrylic acid conversion: a modelling study. Reaction Chemistry & Engineering. 10(8), 1812–1827. DOI: 10.1039/D4RE00481G
Rakipova, K.A., Mahotkin, A.F. (2021, July). Development of a new high-capacity formaldehyde absorption unit for environmental problems solving and resource saving in formalin production. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (Vol. 815, No. 1, p. 012023). IOP Publishing
Saeb Gilani, B., Morosuk, T. (2025). Heat Exchanger Networks: Applications for Industrial Integrations. Energies, 18(12), 3021. DOI: 10.3390/en18123021
Turton, R., Bailie, R.C., Whiting, W.B., Shaeiwitz, J.A., Bhattacharyya, D. (2012). Analysis, synthesis, and design of chemical processes (4th ed.). Prentice Hall
Wang, Q.Z., Chen, Z.D., Lin, K.P., Wang, C.H. (2018). Estimation and analysis of energy conservation and emissions reduction effects of warm-mix crumb rubber-modified asphalts during construction period. Sustainability, 10(12), 4521. DOI: 10.3390/su10124521
Zhang, Y., Chen, J., Wang, L., Xu, H. (2020). Energy integration strategies in petrochemical processes: Case study on acrylic acid production. Chemical Engineering and Processing: Process Intensification, 157, 108095. DOI: 10.1016/j.cep.2020.108095
Li, X., Zhou, Y., Sun, Z. (2023). Process intensification and heat recovery in exothermic oxidation reactions: Application to propylene-to-acrylic acid. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 62(15), 5678–5689. DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.2c04789
Erdogan, S., Akkaya, A.V. (2023). Energy and Exergy Analysis of an Acrylic Acid Production Plant. International Journal of Thermodynamics, 26(2), 45-56. DOI: 10.18186/thermal.1312458

Last update:

No citation recorded.

Last update:

No citation recorded.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Journal Author(s) Rights

Authors who publish in the Journal of Chemical Engineering Research Progress (JCERP) retain full copyright ownership of their work. In keeping with the journal’s commitment to open access, all articles are published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

This license permits anyone to access, use, share, adapt, remix, transform, and build upon the work for any purpose, including commercial use, provided that appropriate credit is given to the original author or authors, a link to the license is provided, changes to the work (if any) are clearly indicated, and any derivative works are distributed under the same license.

Authors are encouraged to disseminate their work as widely as possible. They retain the right to reuse their published article in future scholarly works, such as books, conference presentations, or teaching materials. They may also deposit the final published version in institutional or subject-based repositories, and share it freely on personal websites, academic platforms, or professional networks. These rights are fully preserved under the CC BY-SA license, and all such uses must comply with its terms.

Readers and third parties may also use the content in accordance with the CC BY-SA license. This includes the ability to reproduce, modify, and build upon the article, even for commercial purposes, as long as proper attribution is given, and any resulting work is distributed under the same license.

License to Publish Agreement (Non-Exclusive License for Publishing Rights)

To enable publication and global dissemination of accepted manuscripts, the Journal of Chemical Engineering Research Progress is published by UPT Laboratorium Terpadu Universitas Diponegoro jointly with Masyarakat Katalis Indonesia - Indonesian Catalyst Society (MKICS) Publisher, and the technical management of the JCERP journal is supported by with BCREC Publishing Group, requires that authors grant the publisher a non-exclusive license to publish the work. This license authorizes the publisher to reproduce, distribute, and communicate the article to the public in all forms and media. The license to publish does not transfer copyright; authors remain the sole copyright holders.

This arrangement is formalized through a License to Publish Agreement, which the corresponding author must complete after the manuscript is accepted for publication. The agreement confirms that the author or authors grant the publisher the non-exclusive right to publish the article and to distribute it under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Authors retain all other rights to their work. They remain free to use and share their article in any manner consistent with the terms of the CC BY-SA license, including in future publications, educational settings, and commercial applications, provided proper attribution is given and the license is preserved.

After acceptance, the corresponding author will receive an email containing instructions for completing and electronically signing the License to Publish Agreement. The signed agreement must be returned to the Editorial Office in order to proceed with publication. The License to Publish Agreement form is available for download on the journal’s official website.

The non-exclusive Transfer Agreement for Publishing Right (CTAP) Form can be downloaded here: [Transfer Agreement for Publishing Right (CTAP) Form JCERP 2024]

The (non-exclusive) publishing right form should be signed electronically and send to the Editorial Office in the form of original e-mail below:

Prof. Dr. I. Istadi (Editor-in-Chief)
Editorial Office of Journal of Chemical Engineering Researc Progress
Laboratory of Plasma-Catalysis (R3.5), UPT Laboratorium Terpadu, Universitas Diponegoro
Jl. Prof. Soedarto, Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia 50275
Telp/Whatsapp: +62-81-316426342
E-mail: jcerp[at]live.undip.ac.id

(This policy statements has been updated at 25th March 2025)