Acrylic/Phenolic Coalescing Filter for Ionic Liquid Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods face challenges in effectively separating ultrafine ionic liquid droplets dispersed in an organic phase, particularly in hydrocarbon systems, due to limited miscibility and the difficulty in removing small amounts of ionic liquids from dispersions.
Innovation Solution
A process utilizing a coalescing filter made from acrylic/phenolic resin to separate ionic liquids from organic phases, where the filter's properties allow for efficient separation of ionic liquids with higher viscosity from hydrocarbons, achieving high separation rates and reducing the size of phase separators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional coalescing filters are used to separate ionic liquids from hydrocarbons, then separation can be achieved, but the filters cannot effectively remove ultrafine droplets of the dispersed phase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the coalescing filter from conventional materials (metal, glass fiber, polypropylene) to acrylic/phenolic resin. This material parameter change enables the filter to effectively coalesce and remove ultrafine droplets of the dispersed phase that conventional filters cannot remove, while maintaining high separation efficiency for both coarse and fine dispersions.
2Productivity
If vigorous stirring is used to establish intensive contact between phases, then catalytic action is enhanced, but the resulting ultrafine dispersion becomes difficult to separate
Solution Approach 1:
The acrylic/phenolic resin coalescing filter acts as an intermediary device between the reaction mixture and the separation process. It provides a controlled interface that facilitates efficient mass transfer during reaction while simultaneously enabling effective separation of the resulting ultrafine dispersion, thus resolving the contradiction between enhanced catalytic action and separation difficulty.
3Manufacturing precision
If phase separators are sized to handle ultrafine droplet separation, then separation completeness improves, but the equipment size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the material parameter of the coalescing filter to acrylic/phenolic resin, the filter achieves much higher separation efficiency for ultrafine droplets. This enables the use of compact, smaller-phase separators that can achieve complete separation without requiring large equipment volumes, thus resolving the contradiction between separation completeness and equipment size.
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 effectively separates even small amounts of ionic liquids from hydrocarbon dispersions, achieving rapid separation rates and maintaining filter performance over time, allowing for inversion of dispersion direction without issues, thus addressing the ultrafine droplet problem.
Implementation Method 1
separating the dispersed phase (A) from phase (B) in the coalescing filter (K)
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a process for separating a phase (A) comprising at least one ionic liquid from a phase (B), phase (A) having a higher viscosity than phase (B), comprising the following steps:a) providing a stream (S1) comprising a dispersion (D1) in which phase (A) is dispersed in phase (B),b) introducing stream (S1) into a coalescing filter (K) manufactured from acrylic/phenolic resin,c) separating the dispersed phase (A) from phase (B) in the coalescing filter (K),d) discharging a stream (S2) comprising at least 70% by weight, preferably at least 90% by weight, of phase (A) from the coalescing filter (K), ande) discharging a stream (S3) comprising at least 70% by weight, preferably at least 90% by weight, of phase (B) from the coalescing filter (K).