Isobutylene Purification via Solvent Absorption and Distillation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing isobutylene from isobutanol lack effective separation and purification processes, leading to inefficient recovery of high-purity isobutylene.
Innovation Solution
A method involving sequential steps of contacting a reaction gas containing isobutylene and unreacted isobutanol with a first solvent to separate isobutylene, followed by absorption using tert-butanol or its aqueous solution, and subsequent distillation to obtain purified isobutylene, with the option to reuse recovered unreacted isobutanol as a solvent.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional dehydration methods are used to produce isobutylene from isobutanol, then isobutylene can be obtained, but the separation and purification of isobutylene from unreacted isobutanol and water is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The separation process is divided into three distinct stages: (1) contact with first solvent to separate isobutylene from unreacted isobutanol, (2) absorption of isobutylene by second solvent, and (3) distillation to obtain purified isobutylene. This segmentation allows each stage to focus on a specific separation task, achieving high purity while maintaining reasonable process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Two solvents are introduced as intermediary substances to facilitate separation. The first solvent (water or organic solvent) selectively dissolves unreacted isobutanol, while the second solvent (tert-butanol or its derivatives) absorbs isobutylene. These intermediary solvents enable clean separation without requiring complex direct separation methods.
2Loss of substance
If unreacted isobutanol is discarded, then the process is simpler, but material loss increases and operational costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The method recovers unreacted isobutanol from the reaction mixture by contacting with the first solvent, which selectively dissolves isobutanol while leaving isobutylene in the gas phase. The recovered isobutanol solution can then be separated and reused, significantly reducing material loss and operational costs compared to simple discarding.
Solution Approach 2:
The recovered unreacted isobutanol is fed back into the dehydration reaction system, creating a feedback loop that maximizes utilization of raw materials. This recycling approach ensures that unreacted isobutanol is not wasted but continuously utilized until fully converted, improving overall process efficiency.
3Manufacturing precision
If a complex separation process is implemented to achieve high-purity isobutylene, then product quality improves, but process efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The method utilizes differences in physical parameters (solubility, absorption capacity, volatility) of isobutylene, unreacted isobutanol, and water to achieve separation. By carefully selecting solvents with appropriate parameters and controlling contact conditions, high-purity isobutylene is obtained through a relatively simple three-step process that maintains good process efficiency.
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 method enables the efficient and simple production of high-purity isobutylene, reducing waste and operational costs by recycling unreacted isobutanol and utilizing tert-butanol as a solvent, thus enhancing the overall process efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the reaction gas containing the isobutylene and unreacted isobutanol with a first solvent to obtain a first gas containing the isobutylene and a recovered solution containing the unreacted isobutanol
Implementation Method 2
contacting the first gas with a second solvent selected from tert-butanol, a tert-butanol aqueous solution, and methyl tert-butyl ether to allow the second solvent to absorb the isobutylene contained in the first gas to obtain an absorption solution containing the isobutylene
Implementation Method 3
distilling the absorption solution to obtain separated and purified isobutylene
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are an industrially advantageous method for separating and purifying isobutylene, the method enabling high-purity isobutylene to be efficiently obtained by a simple process, and a method for producing isobutylene. A method for separating and purifying isobutylene from a reaction gas containing the isobutylene and unreacted isobutanol, comprising:a step (1) of contacting the reaction gas containing the isobutylene and unreacted isobutanol with a first solvent to obtain a first gas containing the isobutylene and a recovered solution containing the unreacted isobutanol;a step (2) of contacting the first gas with a specific second solvent to allow the second solvent to absorb the isobutylene contained in the first gas to obtain an absorption solution containing the isobutylene; anda step (3) of distilling the absorption solution to obtain separated and purified isobutylene. A method for producing isobutylene using the separation and purification method.