*Article* **Model-Based Analysis for Ethylene Carbonate Hydrogenation Operation in Industrial-Type Tubular Reactors**

**Hai Huang 1, Chenxi Cao 2,\*, Yue Wang 3, Youwei Yang 3, Jianning Lv <sup>4</sup> and Jing Xu 1,5,\***


**Abstract:** Hydrogenation of ethylene carbonate (EC) to co-produce methanol (MeOH) and ethylene glycol (EG) offers an atomically economic route for CO2 utilization. Herein, aided with bench and pilot plant data, we established engineering a kinetics model and multiscale reactor models for heterogeneous EC hydrogenation using representative industrial-type reactors. Model-based analysis indicates that single-stage adiabatic reactors, despite a moderate temperature rise of 12 K, suffer from a narrow operational window delimited by EC condensation at lower temperatures and intense secondary EG hydrogenation at higher temperatures. Boiling water cooled multi-tubular reactors feature near-isothermal operation and exhibit better operability, especially under high pressure and low space velocity. Conduction oil-cooled reactors show U-type axial temperature profiles, rendering even wider operational windows regarding coolant temperatures than the water-cooled reactor. The revelation of operational characteristics of EC hydrogenation under industrial conditions will guide further improvement in reactor design and process optimization.

**Keywords:** ethylene carbonate hydrogenation; methanol; ethylene glycol; multiscale reactor model; reactor analysis; operation window
