A process for the production of diisobutene is disclosed wherein tertiary butyl alcohol is dehydrated to isobutene in a distillation column reactor containing an acid cation exchange resin catalyst in the form of catalytic distillation structure. The disclosed technique operates by training a model during an initial training sequence. The HFE simulation method uses the FE method in a region of the electrodes including a portion of the substrate and an analytic method for the remaining region of the SAW devices substrate.