Microflow Reactor Alkylene Oxide Adduct Continuous Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing alkylene oxide adducts face challenges such as discontinuous production, risk of explosion, difficulty in controlling reaction temperature and pressure, and broad molecular weight distribution, leading to low-quality products.
Innovation Solution
A microflow reactor with a tubular flow passage of specific inner diameter is used to continuously supply alkylene oxide and an organic compound with active hydrogen atoms, reacting them under controlled temperature and pressure conditions to produce high-quality alkylene oxide adducts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a batch-type reaction method is used, then the reaction can be carried out in a large-sized apparatus, but the alkylene oxide adduct cannot be produced continuously and there is a risk of explosion
Solution Approach 1:
The reaction system is segmented from a large batch reactor into multiple small-channel parallel reactors. Each microchannel reactor processes a small portion of the reaction, eliminating the explosion risk associated with large-volume high-pressure reactions while enabling continuous production through parallel operation and continuous flow through the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses liquid-phase continuous flow reaction through microchannels, replacing the gas-liquid batch reaction system. The reactants are continuously pumped through the microchannel reactors in liquid state, enabling continuous production while the small channel dimensions provide inherent safety by limiting the volume of high-pressure reaction at any given time.
2Manufacturing precision
If a batch-type reaction method is used, then the reaction can be carried out in a large-sized apparatus, but the temperature or pressure at the time of the addition reaction is difficultly controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The reaction is divided into multiple small segments within parallel microchannel reactors. Each microchannel has a very small volume and large surface-area-to-volume ratio, enabling efficient heat transfer and precise temperature control. The segmentation allows the reaction to be carried out under carefully controlled conditions without requiring complex control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the reaction system by transitioning from batch to continuous flow, and from gas-liquid to liquid-phase reaction. These parameter changes inherently improve temperature and pressure control precision due to the small channel dimensions and continuous flow characteristics, which provide better heat and mass transfer.
3Manufacturing precision
If a batch-type reaction method is used, then the reaction can be carried out in a large-sized apparatus, but the quality of the product is lowered that coloring is generated and the molecular weight distribution is broadened
Solution Approach 1:
The reaction is segmented into multiple parallel microchannel reactors, each providing uniform and precise reaction conditions. This segmentation ensures consistent product quality by eliminating the temperature and pressure fluctuations that occur in batch processes, resulting in narrow molecular weight distribution and no coloring, while the parallel configuration maintains high production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous flow reaction system maintains steady-state operation throughout the process, ensuring consistent reaction conditions and product quality. The continuous action through parallel microchannel reactors eliminates the start-stop nature of batch processing, providing both high productivity and superior product quality with narrow molecular weight distribution.
4Manufacturing precision
If a conventional continuous reaction method using a tube reactor is used, then the production can be continuous, but the temperature or pressure at the time of the addition reaction is still difficultly controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The conventional tube reactor is segmented into multiple parallel microchannel reactors with significantly smaller channel dimensions. This segmentation provides superior temperature and pressure control due to the enhanced surface-area-to-volume ratio and improved heat transfer, while the parallel configuration maintains mass production capability through continuous flow and scalable system design.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single large-diameter tube reactor to multiple small-diameter microchannel reactors, effectively changing the dimensional characteristics of the reaction system. This dimensional change enables precise temperature and pressure control through enhanced heat transfer, while the parallel arrangement preserves mass production capability.
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 process enables continuous production of alkylene oxide adducts with precise temperature and pressure control, resulting in high-quality products with no coloring and narrow molecular weight distribution.
Implementation Method 1
The batch-type reaction method is a method for producing an alkylene oxide adduct by charging an organic compound having an active hydrogen atom(s) as a starting material and a catalyst in an autoclave, and after injecting an alkylene oxide, reacting these materials under pressure at a predetermined temperature
Implementation Method 2
reacting these while passing through the same under conditions at a temperature of the flow passage of 70 to 200°C, and a pressure at a supplying port of the flow passage of 1 to 10 MPa
Implementation Method 3
a pressure at a supplying port of the flow passage of 1 to 10 MPa
Data Source
AI summary
This is to provide a process for producing an alkylene oxide adduct which can continuously produce the alkylene oxide adduct with an optional size from a small size to a large size, a temperature and a pressure at the time of the addition reaction can be controlled with high precision, and as a result, the alkylene oxide adduct with high quality having no coloring and narrow molecular weight distribution can be continuously produced, and the above can be accomplished simultaneously, and such an alkylene oxide adduct. An alkylene oxide adduct was produced by using a microflow reactor having a flow passage with an inner diameter of 0.05 to 3.5 mm, continuously supplying a predetermined amount of alkylene oxide and a predetermined amount of an organic compound having an active hydrogen atom(s) to the flow passage in a liquid state, and these materials were reacted while passing therethrough under the conditions of a temperature of the flow passage of 70 to 200°C and a pressure of the supply port of the flow passage of 1 to 10 MPa.