Ketene Production from Wood Acetylation Fluid
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current processes for producing acetic anhydride from acetic acid involve high temperatures and waste of excess acetylation medium in wood acetylation, leading to inefficiencies and increased operational costs, with impurities from wood acetylation posing risks in ketene furnace operations.
Innovation Solution
Integrating wood acetylation and acetic anhydride production by recycling acetic acid from wood acetylation fluid, purifying it through distillation to remove impurities, and using it in ketene production, thereby forming acetic anhydride, which is then reused in wood acetylation, creating a recirculation loop to minimize waste and equipment needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If acetic acid from wood acetylation is used directly in ketene production, then resource utilization is improved, but impurities cause harmful effects in the ketene furnace
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful impurities (terpenes and terpenoids) in the recovered acetylation fluid into a beneficial separation mechanism. These impurities form an azeotrope with water during distillation, allowing them to be carried over in the distillate and separated from the acetic acid in the bottoms product. This transforms the harmful impurities into a useful indicator and carrier for purification.
Solution Approach 2:
Water acts as an intermediary substance in the purification process. By adding water to the recovered acetylation fluid before distillation, the process creates an azeotropic mixture that selectively carries impurities away. The water facilitates the separation of impurities from acetic acid through azeotropic distillation, enabling the acetic acid to be purified for ketene production.
2Reliability
If acetic acid is purified through distillation to remove impurities, then reliability of ketene furnace operation is improved, but equipment complexity and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating parameters of the distillation process to achieve purification. By controlling the distillation to separate the azeotropic mixture (containing impurities and water) from the acetic acid bottoms, and by managing the water addition量和 distillation conditions, the process achieves reliable impurity removal while using standard distillation equipment rather than specialized purification systems.
3Loss of substance
If a recirculation loop is implemented to reuse acetylation fluid, then loss of substance is reduced, but device complexity increases due to integration requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the wood acetylation process with the acetic anhydride production process by integrating the purification units and creating a recirculation loop. The distillation unit and water addition system are combined with the existing acetylation and ketene production equipment, allowing the acetic acid to circulate between processes. This consolidation achieves waste reduction while using integrated equipment rather than separate standalone systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The recirculation system gives multiple functions to the same equipment and material streams. The distillation unit serves both to purify acetic acid for ketene production and to concentrate impurities for removal. The recovered acetic acid serves dual purposes: as a reactant in ketene production and as a recirculating medium in the acetylation process. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated equipment.
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 integration reduces operational expenses, optimizes resource use, and minimizes impurity-related issues in ketene furnace operations, enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of both wood acetylation and acetic anhydride production.
Implementation Method 1
heating acetic acid under ketene forming conditions
Implementation Method 2
reacting the ketene with acetic acid in an exothermic reaction
Implementation Method 3
The acetic acid obtained from recovered wood acetylation fluid is mixed with a residual aqueous acetic acid stream from ketene production. When this aqueous stream is subjected to acetic acid extraction (by distillation), terpene and terpenoid impurities are allowed to be removed by forming an azeotrope with water.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
Disclosed is a process for the production of ketene using acetic acid obtained from acetylation fluid recovered from a wood acetylation process. The invention includes the production of acetic anhydride from the ketene.