Malic Acid Hydration in Tubular and Stirred Tank Reactors
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for producing malic acid require high temperatures and pressures, are time-consuming, and result in corrosive and poisonous reaction products, leading to increased operating costs and reactor volume requirements.
Innovation Solution
A process using a combination of tubular reactors and continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) for the hydration of crude maleic anhydride or fumaric acid, allowing for the co-production of malic and fumaric acids from butane or benzene, reducing reaction time to 1-3 hours and eliminating the need for pure raw materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional high temperature and pressure hydration methods are used, then malic acid production is achieved, but reaction time is long (4-8 hours) and energy consumption is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameters by using supercritical carbon dioxide as a solvent and reaction medium, which allows the hydration reaction to proceed rapidly at lower temperatures and pressures compared to conventional methods, thereby reducing reaction time from 4-8 hours to a much shorter duration while maintaining high productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces carbon dioxide as an intermediary substance that serves multiple functions: it acts as a green solvent, a reactant that forms carbonic acid to hydrate maleic acid, and a medium that facilitates rapid mass transfer, thereby enabling faster reaction kinetics without requiring extreme temperatures and pressures
2Reliability
If conventional reactor vessels are used for high temperature and pressure reactions, then malic acid hydration is achieved, but reactor corrosion occurs due to corrosive and poisonous reaction products
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses supercritical carbon dioxide to create an inert and non-aqueous reaction environment that prevents corrosion of reactor vessels. The carbon dioxide medium does not promote hydrolysis or oxidation reactions that would degrade reactor materials, thereby eliminating the corrosive and poisonous conditions present in conventional aqueous high-temperature hydration processes
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional aqueous hydration processes are used, then malic acid is produced, but additional purification processes are required to remove contaminants, leading to higher operating costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the reaction from an aqueous environment to a supercritical carbon dioxide medium, which inherently prevents the formation of many water-soluble contaminants and side products. This extraction of the reaction to a non-aqueous phase simplifies downstream purification by eliminating the need for complex water removal and contaminant separation processes required in conventional aqueous hydration
4Productivity
If conventional reactor volumes are used for industrial scale malic acid production, then production capacity is achieved, but reactor volume is large leading to higher capital costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a continuous flow reaction process using supercritical carbon dioxide, where reactants continuously flow through the reactor and products are continuously removed. This continuous operation allows for high production capacity with a compact reactor volume, as the reaction proceeds efficiently along the flow path without requiring large batch reactor volumes to achieve the same throughput
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 decreases energy consumption, reduces reactor volume, and lowers production costs by utilizing crude materials and achieving faster reaction times while maintaining efficient conversion and product separation.
Implementation Method 1
the feed is made to undergo hydration reaction in the tubular reactor assembly
Implementation Method 2
causing further hydration of the first product stream in a stirred tank reactor assembly
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4(a)~4(b)
AI summary
The present disclosure discloses a process for production of malic acid. The process comprises obtaining a feed comprising one or more of crude maleic 5 anhydride, pure maleic anhydride, crude maleic acid, crude fumaric acid, pure maleic acid, pure fumaric acid, vent gas scrubber solutions from production of maleic anhydride, and vent gas scrubber solutions from production of phthalic anhydride; passing the feed in a tubular reactor assembly to obtain a first product stream comprising unreacted feed and malic acid, wherein the feed is made to 10 undergo hydration reaction in the tubular reactor assembly for a first predetermined time period; and causing further hydration of the first product stream in a stirred tank reactor assembly for a second predetermined time period to obtain a final product stream comprising malic acid.