In this paper, an innovative ethylene glycol diacetate (EGDA) synthesis process in a single reactive
distillation column has been investigated. The consecutive, reversible second-order esterification of
ethylene glycol (EG) with acetic acid (HAC) to ethylene glycol monoacetate (EGMA) and ethylene glycol
diacetate (EGDA) were intensified by the hydration of. As an auxiliary reaction, the hydration of EO
greatly promoted the esterification reaction equilibrium to the right, not only consuming water, but also
generate the ethylene glycol in situ. Fixing the feed rate of EG, EO, and HAC at 21.6, 68.4 and 180 kmol/h,
respectively, impacts of four important parameters, i.e., number of theoretical stage, feed position, reflux
ratio, rate of distillation and operating pressure on the purity of EGDA, energy consumption, conversion,
selectivity and yield were investigated to achieve an optimal process design in the steady state simulation
by Aspen Plus. On the basis of steady state, the dynamic state simulation by Aspen Plus Dynamics has
achieved an innovative process to produce EGDA without EG feed.