HCFC-123 Manufacture Using SiC Microreactor and Phase Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for manufacturing HCFC-123 and HCFC-122 face challenges such as corrosion issues, high energy consumption, poor selectivity, and the need for large volumes of HF, leading to inefficiencies and safety risks, with existing processes not achieving industrial yields and requiring costly purification by distillation.
Innovation Solution
The use of microreactors or continuous flow reactors with fluorination promoting catalysts based on Sb, allowing for efficient reaction and purification of HCFC-123 and HCFC-122 through phase separation, reducing energy consumption and eliminating the need for distillation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional batch or continuous reactors are used with Lewis acid catalysts, then HCFC-123 and HCFC-122 can be produced, but corrosion issues occur and energy consumption is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the catalyst system from conventional Lewis acids to a specific composition ratio of TiCl4 and SnCl4 (1:9 to 9:1, preferably 1:2 to 2:1), and adjusts the HF:(TiCl4 + SnCl4) molar ratio to ≥4:1 (especially ≥8:1). These parameter optimizations improve reaction efficiency and selectivity while reducing corrosion and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite catalyst system combining titanium chloride and tin chloride in specific ratios. This composite catalyst system provides synergistic effects that enhance reaction performance while reducing the harmful side effects of corrosion and energy consumption compared to single-component Lewis acid catalysts.
2Quantity of substance
If large volumes of HF are used in conventional processes, then sufficient fluorination is achieved, but safety risks and inefficiencies increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the HF:(TiCl4 + SnCl4) molar ratio to specific ranges (≥4:1, especially ≥8:1), which improves the efficiency of HF utilization. This allows achieving sufficient fluorination with optimized HF quantities, reducing safety risks associated with handling large volumes of HF.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional purification by distillation is used, then product purity is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the energy-intensive distillation step from the conventional purification process. By using the optimized catalyst system that provides high selectivity, the reaction mixture can be directly used or simplifiedly purified without requiring extensive distillation, thereby eliminating high energy consumption while maintaining product purity.
Solution Approach 2:
The optimized catalyst system (TiCl4-SnCl4 with specific ratios) provides inherent selectivity that enables the reaction process to self-differentiate between desired products and byproducts. This self-selective capability reduces or eliminates the need for energy-intensive separation processes like distillation.
4Productivity
If existing processes are used, then HCFC-123 and HCFC-122 can be manufactured, but industrial yields are not achieved and costly purification is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes multiple parameters including catalyst composition ratios (TiCl4:SnCl4 from 1:9 to 9:1, preferably 1:2 to 2:1) and HF:catalyst molar ratio (≥4:1, especially ≥8:1). These parameter optimizations achieve high industrial yields and improve ease of manufacture by eliminating costly purification steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite TiCl4-SnCl4 catalyst system provides synergistic effects that enhance reaction efficiency and selectivity, enabling industrial-scale production with high yields. The composite catalyst reduces purification requirements and lowers manufacturing costs compared to conventional single-component catalysts.
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 approach enables the scalable production of HCFC-123 and HCFC-122 with improved selectivity and low energy consumption, facilitating industrial feasibility and efficient purification through phase separation, thereby overcoming the limitations of existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
reacting HCFC-122 (1,1,2-trichloro-2,2-difluoroethane) as a starting material or intermediate material with HF in the presence of the fluorination promoting catalyst on the basis of Sb
Implementation Method 2
efficient reaction and purification of HCFC-123 and HCFC-122 through phase separation, reducing energy consumption and eliminating the need for distillation
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention pertains to a method in which the production of HCFC-123 (2,2-dichloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane) and/or of HCFC-122 (1,1,2-trichloro-2,2-difluoroethane) in at least one reaction step takes place in a microreactor. Particularly, in preferred embodiments of the invention pertains to a method in which the production of HCFC-123 (2,2-dichloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane) and/or of HCFC-122 (1,1,2-trichloro-2,2-difluoroethane) in at least one reaction step takes place in a microreactor that is comprising or is made of SiC ("SiC-microreactor"), or in a microreactor that is comprising or is made of an alloy, e.g. such as Hastelloy C. In an ebodiment, the processes for the manufacture of HCFC-123 (2,2-dichloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane) and/or of HCFC-122 (1,1,2-tri-chloro-2,2-difluoroethane) can be efficiently combined in that HCFC-122 (1,1,2-trichloro-2,2-difluoroethane) produced by the method according the invention by using a microreactor, preferably an SiC-microreactor, may preferably advantageously serve as starting material/and/or intermediate material in the manufacture of HCFC-123 (2,2-dichloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane), preferably also in a microreactor. In the manufacture of HCFC-123 and/or for the manufacture of HCFC-122 the HCFC-123 and/or the HCFC-122 can be easily, e.g. by a method with only low energy consumption, purified and/or isolated, and preferably the process for purifying and/or isolating does not require a distillation. Advantageously, the separation from excess HF and from the catalyst can easily take place in an energy-saving manner by phase separation.