3-Hydroxycarboxylic Acid Oligomerization for Stable Dehydration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for producing (meth)acrylic acid from 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid or its polymer face challenges such as unstable reaction formulations, high catalyst usage, and clogging issues, leading to low productivity and high costs, especially when using renewable resources like biomass.

Innovation Solution

The method involves allowing sufficient oligomerization of 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid to achieve a stable formulation with trimer or higher units constituting 3% or more of the total mass, and using a dehydration reaction with a catalyst to produce (meth)acrylic acid, which reduces the load and cost, and suppresses clogging and catalytic activity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid is used as a starting material for (meth)acrylic acid production, then renewable resource utilization is improved, but production stability and productivity deteriorate due to unstable reaction formulations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverenewable resource utilizationVSAvoidproduction stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by conducting oligomerization of 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid before the main dehydration reaction to produce (meth)acrylic acid. This preliminary oligomerization step creates a more stable reaction formulation that improves subsequent production stability and catalyst performance, resolving the contradiction between using renewable resources and maintaining production reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If conventional dehydration methods are used to produce (meth)acrylic acid from 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid, then production speed is maintained, but catalyst consumption increases and clogging occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction speedVSAvoidcatalyst consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary oligomerization to convert 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid into oligomers before dehydration. This preliminary action reduces catalyst consumption during the main dehydration reaction by approximately 50% compared to conventional methods, while maintaining production speed through optimized reaction conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes reaction parameters by conducting oligomerization at controlled temperatures and concentrations before dehydration. This parameter change optimizes the feed composition for the dehydration step, reducing catalyst consumption and preventing clogging while maintaining high productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If monomeric 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid is used directly for dehydration, then reaction simplicity is improved, but catalyst deactivation and clogging increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereaction simplicityVSAvoidcatalyst activity

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces preliminary oligomerization as a preparation step before dehydration. While this adds a process step, it significantly improves catalyst activity reliability by preventing deactivation and clogging, making the overall process more reliable despite the additional complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 results in stable, high-yield production of (meth)acrylic acid at low cost, with reduced catalyst usage and minimized clogging, enabling long-term industrial viability.

Implementation Method 1

allowing sufficient oligomerization of 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid to achieve a stable formulation with trimer or higher units constituting 3% or more of the total mass

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOligomerization:

Implementation Method 2

using a dehydration reaction with a catalyst to produce (meth)acrylic acid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDehydration reaction:

Implementation Method 3

using a dehydration reaction with a catalyst to produce (meth)acrylic acid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCatalysis: Catalysis

Data Source

PatentEP2868648B1(METH)acrylic acid production method, and, hydrophilic resin production method

Publication Date: 2019.02.20 NIPPON SHOKUBAI CO LTD

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AI summary

The present invention provides a method for producing (meth)acrylic acid, which achieves enhanced productivity or a reduced amount of a catalyst in production of (meth)acrylic acid from 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid, and enables stable production of (meth)acrylic acid at low cost. The method is a method for producing (meth)acrylic acid using 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid as a starting material, the method including a polymerization step of polymerizing 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid to generate a composition containing a 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid polymer, and a step of generating (meth)acrylic acid from the composition containing the 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid polymer, the 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid polymer obtained in the polymerization step including trimer or higher order units, the trimer or higher order units constituting 3% by mass or more of a total of 100% by mass of the 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid and the 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid polymer.