In this contribution, the benefits of using dynamic models of different complexity and size for process design, optimal operation and control of catalytic distillation (CD) processes are discussed for the case study of the heterogeneously catalysed reactive distillation (RD) of methyl acetate. Dynamic reactive distillation experiments at pilot plant scale were performed using the catalytic structured packing MULTIPAK. A dynamic rate-based model were developed which contains hydrodynamic effects as liquid holdup, liquid backmixing and pressure drop as well as reaction kinetics and which describes the process behaviour accurately. For offline and online optimisation and control, reduced order and simplified models were applied. A systematic control structure selection and controller design studies for the experimental column were conducted. The linear controller shows good performance over a wide range of operating conditions. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All fights reserved.