The inherent trade off between model accuracy and computational tractability for model-based control applications is addressed in this article by the development of reduced order nonlinear models. Traveling wave phenomena is used to develop low order models for multicomponent reactive distillation columns. A motivational example of batch esterification column is used to demonstrate the synthesis procedure. Tight control of the column is obtained with the use of reduced model in a model predictive control algorithm. (C) 2000