Aromatic Sulfonic Acid Separation via Amine Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for separating aromatic sulfonic acids or their salts from aqueous phases are inefficient, often requiring large amounts of organic solvents, producing hazardous waste, or generating complex disposal issues, and are not suitable for industrial-scale applications.
Innovation Solution
A process involving adjusting the pH of an aqueous phase to 13 to 15 using alkali or alkaline earth hydroxides and mixing it with alicyclic or aromatic amines having 5 to 12 carbon atoms and 1 to 2 nitrogen atoms to form a two-phase system, allowing efficient extraction of sulfonic acids or their salts into an aminic phase.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If incineration at high temperatures is used to dispose of wastewater containing aromatic sulfonic acids, then complete evaporation of water and thermal decomposition of organic components is achieved, but large amounts of energy are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts aromatic sulfonic acids from aqueous wastewater using liquid-liquid extraction with water-insoluble organic solvents. The sulfonic acids are transferred from the aqueous phase to the organic phase, allowing the aqueous phase to be treated or discharged with significantly reduced organic content, avoiding the need for complete incineration and thus reducing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent recovers aromatic sulfonic acids from wastewater by extracting them into an organic solvent phase. The organic phase containing the extracted sulfonic acids can be further processed, concentrated, or disposed of more efficiently, while the treated aqueous phase can be discharged or reused, reducing overall disposal costs and energy requirements compared to complete incineration.
2Quantity of substance
If water-insoluble organic solvents are used in extraction processes, then aromatic sulfonic acids can be separated from aqueous phases, but the solubility of sulfonic acids in the organic solvent is often insufficient requiring additional salting out processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the parameters of the extraction system by selecting specific organic solvents with appropriate polarity and solubility characteristics for aromatic sulfonic acids. By changing solvent properties (such as using solvents like dichloromethane, chloroform, or toluene with different dielectric constants and solubility parameters), the extraction efficiency is improved without requiring additional salting-out steps, thus simplifying the overall process.
3Quantity of substance
If salting out is used to reduce solubility of sulfonic acids in aqueous phase, then extraction into organic phase is improved, but phase separation is often insufficient and saline wastewater is produced requiring complex disposal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent directly extracts aromatic sulfonic acids from the aqueous phase into the organic phase without adding salts for salting out. This approach achieves effective separation while avoiding the generation of saline wastewater, eliminating the need for complex disposal of salt-containing waste streams and reducing environmental harm.
4Quantity of substance
If conventional extraction processes are used, then aromatic sulfonic acids can be separated, but large quantities of solvent contaminated with sulfonic acids are produced requiring expensive disposal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers aromatic sulfonic acids from the organic solvent phase through back-extraction into an aqueous base solution or other appropriate methods. The organic solvent can then be regenerated and reused for further extraction cycles, minimizing solvent waste and disposal costs while maintaining effective separation capability.
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
Achieves high extraction numbers exceeding 100, enabling effective separation of sulfonic acids from aqueous phases with minimal solvent use and reduced waste generation, suitable for industrial applications.
Implementation Method 1
the mixture is admixed with an equivalent amount of a non-emulsifying, solvent-free, water-insoluble amine containing a total of 12 to 40 carbon atoms, which forms a salt with the sulfonic acid, causing phase separation
Implementation Method 2
The phase containing the ammonium salt of the sulfonic acid is separated and treated with an excess of aqueous base
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a simple and environmentally friendly process for the separation of aromatic sulfonic acids or their salts from alkaline aqueous phases.