Epichlorohydrin Purification via Distillation and Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Epichlorohydrin products contaminated with trichloropropane pose toxicity issues, affecting the quality and safety of final products, especially in applications like epoxy resins for the electrical component and printed circuit industries, and can contaminate industrial waters.
Innovation Solution
A product containing epichlorohydrin with a low amount of trichloropropane (<0.01 g/kg) is developed, using a process that involves reacting a mixture of dichloropropanol with a basic compound to form epichlorohydrin and a salt, followed by separation and supplementary treatments like distillation or liquid/liquid extraction to minimize trichloropropane content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional epichlorohydrin manufacturing process is used, then production efficiency is maintained, but trichloropropane contamination occurs causing toxicity issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies extraction by selectively removing trichloropropane from the epichlorohydrin product stream through distillation or liquid-liquid extraction processes. The harmful trichloropropane component is separated and removed from the desired epichlorohydrin product, reducing contamination to below 0.01 g/kg while maintaining production efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes process parameters including temperature, pressure, and composition ratios during the dehydrochlorination reaction and subsequent purification steps. By optimizing these parameters, the process minimizes trichloropropane formation and enhances its removal efficiency through distillation or extraction, thereby reducing harmful contamination
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple purification steps are added to reduce trichloropropane, then product purity improves, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by optimizing the dehydrochlorination reaction conditions to minimize trichloropropane formation before the purification step. By pre-controlling the reaction parameters (temperature, catalyst, residence time), the subsequent purification process is simplified and requires fewer complex separation steps to achieve the desired <0.01 g/kg trichloropropane content
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary substance or phase (such as a selective solvent in liquid-liquid extraction or a packing material in distillation) that facilitates the separation of trichloropropane from epichlorohydrin. This intermediary enables efficient purification without requiring complex multi-stage processes, maintaining manufacturing precision while controlling process complexity
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 significantly reduces trichloropropane levels in epichlorohydrin products, enhancing their safety and quality for use in various manufacturing applications, including epoxy resins and water treatment, while minimizing environmental contamination.
Implementation Method 1
a mixture of dichloropropanol containing 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol and 2,3-dichloro-1-propanol, in which the 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol content is at least 10 wt %, is reacted with at least one basic compound in order to form epichlorohydrin and at least one salt
Implementation Method 2
at least one part of the liquid reaction medium from step a) is subjected to a settling operation in which a first fraction containing most of the epichlorohydrin which was contained in the part of the reaction medium from step a) before the settling operation is separated from a second fraction containing most of the salt
Implementation Method 3
the first fraction separated in step b) is subjected to at least one supplementary treatment chosen from dilution, concentration, evaporation, distillation, stripping, liquid/liquid extraction and adsorption operations
Implementation Method 4
the first fraction separated in step b) is subjected to at least one supplementary treatment chosen from dilution, concentration, evaporation, distillation, stripping, liquid/liquid extraction and adsorption operations
Data Source
AI summary
Product containing epichlorohydrin, wherein the amount of trichloropropane is of less than 0.01 g of trichloropropane per kg of product, a process for manufacturing the product and its use in various applications.