Bioresourced Propionic Acid Production from Glycerol
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current processes for synthesizing propionic acid from fossil-based materials are inefficient and costly due to resource limitations and environmental concerns, while bio-based processes from glycerol produce impurities like acetic acid and propionic acid, which are difficult to purify and integrate into polymerization processes.
Innovation Solution
A process involving gas-phase catalytic dehydration of glycerol to acrolein, followed by oxidation to acrylic acid, and subsequent purification stages including absorption, distillation, and fractional crystallization, with a final catalytic hydrogenation of mother liquors to produce high-purity propionic acid from renewable resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If propionic acid is produced from fossil-based materials (propane or propylene), then the production process is well-established and efficient, but the process relies on nonrenewable resources and increases manufacturing costs due to resource limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of starting material source from fossil-based (propane/propylene) to bioresourced (glycerol). This parameter change enables renewable resource utilization while maintaining industrial production viability through optimized catalytic processes and integrated purification systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces acrylic acid as an intermediary substance in the synthesis pathway. Glycerol is first converted to acrolein, then to acrylic acid, and finally hydrogenated to propionic acid. This intermediary approach enables the transformation of renewable glycerol into propionic acid through well-established industrial processes.
2Quantity of substance
If propionic acid is produced from glycerol via dehydration to acrolein and oxidation to acrylic acid, then renewable resources are utilized, but impurities such as acetic acid and propionic acid are formed that are difficult to purify
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the production process into distinct stages: dehydration of glycerol to acrolein, oxidation of acrolein to acrylic acid, and hydrogenation of acrylic acid to propionic acid. Each stage is optimized independently with specific catalysts and conditions, allowing for better control of impurity formation and easier purification at each step.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of impurity formation during glycerol conversion into a beneficial outcome by implementing an integrated purification system. The impurities formed (acetic acid, propionic acid) are separated and purified through distillation and extraction processes, turning what was previously waste into valuable co-products and achieving high-purity propionic acid.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple purification stages are implemented to remove impurities from bio-based propionic acid, then product purity is improved, but process complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple purification operations into integrated unit processes. Distillation, extraction, and hydrogenation steps are combined in a coordinated sequence where the output of one stage becomes the input of the next, reducing the number of separate equipment units and simplifying the overall process flow while maintaining high purity standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a recovery system for impurities that were previously discarded. Acetic acid and propionic acid impurities are separated during purification and recovered as valuable co-products through distillation and extraction, reducing waste and adding economic value while simplifying the disposal requirements of the purification system.
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
This process effectively replaces fossil-based materials with renewable ones, achieving high-quality propionic acid suitable for various applications and minimizing product losses by recovering valuable acrylic acid and isolating purified propionic acid with high concentration.
Implementation Method 1
gas-phase catalytic dehydration of the glycerol to give acrolein
Implementation Method 2
gas-phase catalytic oxidation of the acrolein to give acrylic acid
Implementation Method 3
gas-phase catalytic oxidation of the acrolein to give acrylic acid
Implementation Method 4
catalytic hydrogenation of the mother liquors isolated in the fractional crystallization stage in the presence of molecular hydrogen in order to form a propionic acid solution
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing bioresourced propionic acid from glycerol. Also, a composition comprising more than 85 mass % of bioresourced propionic acid, and to the use of the propionic acid obtained from the method as a solvent, as a food preservative, for producing herbicide or for preparing vinyl propionate.