Cyclohexanol　is　an　important　intermediate　in　the　production　of　adipic　acid　and　ecaprolactame,　and　these　in　turn　are　used　as　intermediates　for　the　production　of　nylons,　plasticizers,　and　pesticides.　Traditionally,　cyclohexanol　is　obtained　from　the　oxidation　of　cyclohexane,　however,　the　process　suffer　lots　of　drawbacks　including　the　low　selectivity　of　cyclohexanol,　high　energy　requirement,　the　explosion　risk,　and　numerous　by-products　formations.　In　this　paper,　a　process　simulation　of　reactive　distillation　using　isophorone　as　cosolvent　for　the　direct　hydration　of　cyclohexene　to　cyclohexanol　was　performed.　Results　showed　that　the　novel　process　not　only　got　rid　of　drawbacks　owned　by　the　traditional　oxidation　method,　but　also　improved　the　conversion　and　reaction　rate　of　the　reactants　greatly.　Process　simulation　results　also　demonstrated　that　with　the　increasing　Damkohler　number　(Da),　a　reactive　azeotrope　emerged　when　Da　numbers　exceeded　a　critical　value　of　0.07.　Therefore,　the　reactive　distillation　could　only　be　practical　when　Da　numbers　is　below　0.07.　During　the　simulation,　the　cyclohexene　conversion　increased　with　excess　water　and　cosolvent　isophorone　in　the　reactive　distillation　column.　Finally,　a　high-purity　cyclohexanol　product　(99.9　mol.%)　can　be　obtained　using　a　decanter　and　two　distillation　columns　for　reactive　distillation,　with　a　high　cyclohexene　conversion　of　99.14%,　and　the　isophorone　purity　well　fitted　for　recycling,　and　the　energy　consumption　was　studied.　(C)　2016　Institution　of　Chemical　Engineers.　Published　by　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.