Thermal stability and dynamic analysis of the acetic anhydride hydrolysis reaction 1

• Rigorous dynamic analysis was performed for acetic anhydride hydrolysis reaction.
• Thermal and bifurcation diagrams were calculated.
• The oscillatory instability of the reaction was demonstrated.
• An excellent agreement between simulation and experimental data was achieved.

In this work, a rigorous dynamic analysis was performed for the acetic anhydride hydrolysis reaction. It allowed identifying its safe operational conditions in a Continuous Flow Stirred-Tank Reactor (CSTR). Some parameters were introduced and the dimensionless variables and model equations (material and energy balances) were defined. The temperature and conversion profiles were calculated using the experimentally validated kinetic expression and typical operating conditions. Subsequently, thermal and bifurcation diagrams were obtained. All thermal states were recognized: stability (unique and multiple solutions) and instability, bifurcation points, saddle-node bifurcations, turning points (limit points) and oscillatory behavior. The obtained results demonstrated high sensitivity of reactive system (thermal runaway) and predominant oscillatory instability.