Acrylic Acid Separation Process for Acetaldehyde By-Product Purification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing acrylic acid from bio-raw materials face challenges such as low selectivity, reactor fouling, and the production of low-boiling point by-products like acetaldehyde, which lowers the purity and economic feasibility of the process.
Innovation Solution
A multi-step process involving the use of absorbents to separate and purify acrylic acid and acetaldehyde by-products, including cooling and distillation steps to achieve high purity and yield of both products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a gas-phase dehydration reaction using a solid catalyst is used to produce acrylic acid from lactic acid, then the reaction can proceed efficiently, but lactic acid oligomers cause fouling in the reactor and decrease reaction yield
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by conducting a flash vaporization step before the dehydration reaction. This preliminary vaporization removes water and prevents oligomerization of lactic acid in the liquid phase, thereby preventing reactor fouling before it occurs. The lactic acid is vaporized and dried in advance, so when it enters the dehydration reactor, it is in a clean gaseous state without oligomeric contaminants.
2Adaptability or versatility
If bio-raw materials are used as a carbon source to produce acrylic acid, then environmental sustainability is improved, but acrylic acid selectivity decreases due to production of low-boiling point by-products
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transitions to separate acrylic acid from by-products. The reaction mixture is cooled to condense and separate low-boiling point by-products (gas phase to liquid phase transition), and then distillation is performed to further purify acrylic acid based on boiling point differences. This phase-based separation achieves high selectivity for acrylic acid while maintaining the use of sustainable bio-raw materials.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple separation steps are added to purify acrylic acid and separate by-products, then product purity increases, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the separation process into distinct sequential stages: flash vaporization to remove water and prevent oligomerization, condensation to separate low-boiling by-products, and distillation to purify acrylic acid. Each segment performs a specific separation function, achieving high overall purity while keeping each individual step relatively simple and manageable.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process enables the production of high purity and high yield acrylic acid while commercializing acetaldehyde as a high purity product, enhancing the economic feasibility of the bioprocess.
Implementation Method 1
a step 1 of separating a first low-boiling-point material including acetaldehyde (ACHO) and a first high-boiling-point material including acrylic acid (AA) by adding a first absorbent to a reaction product of a bio-raw material
Implementation Method 2
cooling the result
Implementation Method 3
a step 2 of separating a second low-boiling-point material including acetaldehyde (ACHO) and a second high-boiling-point material including acrylic acid (AA) by distilling the first high-boiling-point material including acrylic acid (AA)
Implementation Method 4
a step 3 of separating a first incompressible material and a third low-boiling-point material including acetaldehyde (ACHO) by adding a second absorbent to the first low-boiling-point material including acetaldehyde (ACHO) and cooling the result
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a process for producing acrylic acid, wherein the process comprises a first step and a second step in which a first absorbent is added to a reaction product of a bio-material and cooled to separate a first low-boiling-point material including acetaldehyde (ACHO) and a first high-boiling-point material including acrylic acid (AA). The process is capable of producing high-purity acrylic acid at high yield, and acetaldehyde is produced as by-product along with the reaction product of the bio-material. The process includes separating the acetaldehyde produced as by-product into a high-purity product at high yield.