Ionic Liquid Copper Halide Acetylene Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for removing acetylenes from olefins are inefficient, costly, and prone to catalyst poisoning, solvent loss, and instability, leading to quality issues and safety concerns during polymerization processes.
Innovation Solution
An ionic liquid-based solution comprising imidazolium compounds and copper halide (CuX) is used to selectively remove acetylenes, with the copper halide being stabilized to prevent oxidation and maintain monovalent copper ion activity, allowing for efficient and long-term acetylene removal without producing explosive compounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If catalytic hydrogenation is used to remove acetylenes, then acetylene removal efficiency is improved, but olefin loss increases due to over-hydrogenation to paraffins
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the hydrogenation catalyst by using copper halide (CuX) instead of conventional palladium catalysts. This parameter change allows selective hydrogenation of acetylenes to olefins while preventing over-hydrogenation to paraffins, thus resolving the contradiction between acetylene removal efficiency and olefin loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a soluble copper halide catalyst that can be easily separated from the product mixture through simple filtration or decantation, eliminating the need for complex catalyst recycling systems. This approach reduces operational complexity and costs while maintaining high acetylene removal efficiency.
2Productivity
If palladium catalyst is used for hydrogenation, then acetylene removal is effective, but catalyst poisoning occurs due to carbon deposit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the expensive and unstable palladium catalyst with a soluble copper halide catalyst that does not require complex recycling procedures. The copper halide catalyst maintains high activity for acetylene hydrogenation without suffering from carbon deposit poisoning, thereby improving both productivity and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the catalyst material from palladium to copper halide, which fundamentally alters the catalytic properties. This parameter change results in a catalyst that is both highly active for acetylene removal and resistant to poisoning, resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability.
3Manufacturing precision
If low temperature distillation is used to separate acetylenes, then separation purity is improved, but equipment cost and operational cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical separation method (low temperature distillation requiring complex equipment) with a chemical method (catalytic hydrogenation using copper halide). This substitution achieves high separation purity through chemical selectivity rather than physical separation, thereby reducing equipment cost and operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the separation mechanism from physical (distillation based on boiling point differences) to chemical (hydrogenation based on catalytic selectivity). This parameter change allows for high purity separation using simpler equipment and lower operational costs, resolving the contradiction between separation purity and ease of manufacture.
4Productivity
If liquid absorption method is used to remove acetylenes, then acetylene removal efficiency is improved, but solvent loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for large amounts of soluble solvent by using a heterogeneous copper halide catalyst that can be easily separated from the product mixture. This approach avoids solvent loss while maintaining high acetylene removal efficiency, resolving the contradiction between productivity and solvent loss.
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 ionic liquid-based solution effectively removes acetylenes with high selectivity and stability, reducing equipment costs and operational energy, while maintaining the activity of monovalent copper ions for extended periods, thus overcoming the limitations of existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
The ionic liquid-based solution effectively removes acetylenes with high selectivity and stability
Implementation Method 2
the copper halide being stabilized to prevent oxidation and maintain monovalent copper ion activity
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a process for removing acetylenes from olefins by using an ionic liquid-based solution, and particularly to a process for removing a small amount of acetylenes contained in olefins by using an ionic liquid-based solution where copper halide (CuX, X=halogen atom) is dissolved. In an ionic liquid-based solution used in the present invention, copper halide (CuX) is stabilized by ionic liquid, thus preventing monovalent copper ion (Cu+) from being oxidized into divalent copper ion (Cu2+), maintaining the superior activity of monovalent copper ion (Cu+) in removing acetylene for a long period of time, and remarkably increasing the selective removal of acetylene-based compounds. Moreover, an ionic liquid-based solution used in the present invention may serve as an extracting solution as well as an absorbent, thereby facilitating the operation and reducing equipment cost in comparison to the conventional extracting agent used in a slurry phase.