Demisting Oxidation Off Gas for Reliable Hydrogen Peroxide Production

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Solution Overview

Problem

The anthraquinone process for hydrogen peroxide production is energy and solvent consuming, with gas ejectors fed with oxidation off gas being inefficient and mechanically unreliable due to entrained droplets, leading to frequent process interruptions.

Innovation Solution

Demisting the oxidation off gas to remove liquid droplets before feeding it into a gas ejector, allowing the demisted gas to be used as a propellant, thereby improving efficiency and reliability by converting pressure energy into vacuum for process use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If oxidation off gas is fed directly into gas ejectors, then the process can operate continuously, but the gas ejectors are mechanically unreliable and cause frequent process interruptions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous operationVSAvoidgas ejector reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The oxidation off gas is demisted before being fed into the gas ejector. This preliminary action removes liquid droplets that would otherwise cause mechanical unreliability and frequent interruptions in continuous operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A demisting device is introduced as an intermediary component between the oxidation reactor and the gas ejector. This mediator removes harmful liquid droplets from the oxidation off gas, protecting the gas ejector from mechanical damage while maintaining continuous operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of energy

If oxidation off gas is used as propellant gas in gas ejectors, then pressure energy can be recovered, but the efficiency is rather low due to entrained droplets

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure energy recoveryVSAvoidgas ejector efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The oxidation off gas undergoes demisting treatment before entering the gas ejector. This preliminary removal of liquid droplets prevents efficiency losses in the gas ejector, maximizing the recovery of pressure energy as useful vacuum.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The liquid droplets entrained in the oxidation off gas, which would normally reduce efficiency, are removed through demisting. This converts a harmful contaminant into a beneficial purification step, enabling efficient pressure energy recovery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Productivity

If the anthraquinone process is used for hydrogen peroxide production, then hydrogen peroxide can be manufactured continuously, but the process is energy and solvent consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous hydrogen peroxide productionVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The oxidation off gas, which is typically a waste stream containing pressure energy, is utilized as propellant gas in gas ejectors. This converts what would be wasted pressure energy into useful vacuum for process applications, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining continuous production.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The process uses its own oxidation off gas as the propellant for creating vacuum in various process steps. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external energy inputs for vacuum generation, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining continuous operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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

Enhances the efficiency and mechanical reliability of gas ejectors, enabling continuous operation and reducing energy consumption by effectively utilizing the excess pressure in the hydrogen peroxide production process.

Implementation Method 1

subjecting the oxidation off gas leaving the oxidation reactor, which has an excess pressure over the atmospheric pressure, to a demisting treatment to obtain a demisted oxidation off gas

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDemisting: Cyclone Separation

Implementation Method 2

feeding the demisted oxidation off gas as propellant gas into a gas ejector to produce a vacuum

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJet propulsion: Jet

Implementation Method 3

The vacuum produced by the gas ejector can be advantageously used, preferably in one or more process steps of the anthraquinone process

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP2776366B1Process for the manufacture of hydrogen peroxide
Publication Date: 2019.02.13 SOLVAY SA
  • EP2776366B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The present invention relates to a process for the manufacturing of hydrogen peroxide.