Cyclic Taurine Production Process Yield Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing cyclic process for producing taurine from ethylene oxide has low overall yield and generates significant waste, including sodium sulfate, which is difficult to dispose of, and impurities accumulate over multiple cycles, limiting the process's effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A cyclic process that continuously converts alkali ditaurinate and alkali tritaurinate to alkali taurinate, using sulfur dioxide to regenerate sodium bisulfite for reuse with ethylene oxide, and implements a purge solution treatment to separate and recycle excess sodium sulfite, allowing the process to be run indefinitely with an overall yield greater than 95%.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the conventional three-step process is used to produce taurine from ethylene oxide, then the process is well established and widely practiced, but the overall yield is low (less than 80%) and large amounts of sodium sulfate waste are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a cyclic process where sodium bisulfite is continuously regenerated from sodium sulfite and sulfur dioxide and fed back into the addition reaction with ethylene oxide. This continuous circulation of reagents maintains high conversion efficiency and prevents waste accumulation, achieving overall yields greater than 95% while eliminating sodium sulfate byproduct formation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the neutralization agent from conventional acid (hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid) to sulfur dioxide. This parameter change transforms the chemical pathway: instead of forming sodium sulfate waste, sulfur dioxide reacts with sodium sulfite to regenerate sodium bisulfite, which reenters the addition reaction cycle, thereby dramatically improving yield and eliminating harmful waste
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the cyclic process using sulfur dioxide is implemented, then sodium sulfate waste is eliminated and sodium bisulfite is regenerated, but impurities (alkali ditaurinate and alkali tritaurinate) accumulate over multiple cycles, limiting the process to less than 85% overall yield
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes impurities (alkali ditaurinate and alkali tritaurinate) from the cyclic process by introducing a selective conversion step. These impurities are converted back to alkali taurinate through reaction with sulfur dioxide and water, which then reenters the main cycle, preventing accumulation and maintaining high overall yield greater than 95%
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts harmful impurities (alkali ditaurinate and alkali tritaurinate) into beneficial intermediates (alkali taurinate) that can reenter the production cycle. By treating these impurities as recoverable resources rather than waste, the process achieves indefinite continuous operation with greater than 95% overall yield
3Quantity of substance
If excess sodium sulfite is present in the purge solution, then it needs to be separated and removed, but this adds process complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by having the purge solution automatically return to the addition reaction stage after sodium sulfite removal. The excess sodium sulfite in the purge solution is separated, and the remaining solution containing regenerated sodium bisulfite and converted impurities automatically reenters the cycle, eliminating the need for complex external processing systems
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 achieves a high yield of greater than 95% taurine production with minimal waste, primarily sodium sulfite, which is a valuable byproduct, and allows for continuous operation without accumulating impurities, significantly improving the efficiency and sustainability of taurine production.
Implementation Method 1
the addition reaction of ethylene oxide with sodium bisulfite to yield sodium isethionate
Implementation Method 2
ammonolysis of sodium isethionate to yield sodium taurinate
Implementation Method 3
by using sulfur dioxide to generate taurine and to regenerate sodium bisulfite for its reaction with ethylene oxide
Implementation Method 4
continuously converting the byproducts of the ammonolysis reaction, alkali ditaurinate and alkali tritaurinate, to alkali taurinate
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a cyclic process for the production of taurine from ethylene oxide in a high yield of greater than 95% by continuously converting the byproducts of the ammonolysis reaction, sodium ditaurinate and sodium tritaurinate, to sodium taurinate. The cyclic process is completed by using sulfur dioxide or sulfurous acid to neutralize sodium taurinates to recover taurine and to regenerate sodium bisulfite, which is then reacted with ethylene oxide.