Mixed Vapor Generation for Diphenol Ether Synthesis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for preparing monoalkyl ethers of diphenols face challenges in achieving a mixed vapor phase with the correct proportion of diphenols and aliphatic or alicyclic alcohols, as diphenols have higher boiling points, leading to significant degradation and inefficient conversion.
Innovation Solution
A process involving a pre-heater and super-heater to transform the reactant solution into a super-heated multi-component vapor, followed by a vapor phase catalytic reaction using an Aluminum/Phosphorus catalyst, without the need for a thin film evaporator, ensuring the reactants are in a vapor state and maintaining the desired composition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If diphenol and aliphatic alcohol are evaporated independently and then mixed, then the vapor composition can be controlled, but significant degradation of diphenol occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines diphenol and aliphatic alcohol into a single liquid mixture before evaporation, then evaporates them together as a mixed multi-component liquid. This merging approach ensures both components vaporize simultaneously and mix in the vapor phase without prior separation, preventing diphenol degradation while achieving proper vapor composition through the forced circulation system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary mixing of diphenol and aliphatic alcohol in liquid phase before evaporation, and uses forced circulation to pre-distribute the mixed liquid uniformly across the evaporation surface. This preliminary action ensures that when evaporation occurs, both components are already in proper proportion and will vaporize together, avoiding degradation that would occur with independent evaporation and subsequent mixing.
2Manufacturing precision
If a thin film evaporator with forced circulation system is used, then mixed vapor generation is improved, but device complexity and capital cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of forced circulation from the complex thin film evaporator system and implements it using a simpler circulation pump and piping system. By separating the circulation function from the evaporation function, the patent achieves mixed vapor generation with much simpler equipment, reducing capital cost while maintaining manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, complex thin film evaporator equipment with simpler, more affordable circulation-based evaporation system. The forced circulation pump and basic evaporation setup provide the necessary mixed vapor generation at lower capital cost, making the process economically viable without sacrificing technical performance.
3Device complexity
If conventional evaporation methods are used, then equipment simplicity is maintained, but higher proportion of aliphatic alcohol in vapor results in inefficient conversion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a forced circulation system that continuously monitors and adjusts the liquid distribution across the evaporation surface. This feedback mechanism ensures that diphenol and aliphatic alcohol are evenly distributed and evaporate in proper proportions, preventing the preferential evaporation of aliphatic alcohol that occurs in conventional methods, thereby maintaining conversion efficiency with simple 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 approach simplifies the equipment and operation while achieving acceptable conversion rates and product quality, reducing capital intensity and degradation issues.
Implementation Method 1
evaporating the mixed multi-component liquid in the evaporator
Implementation Method 2
heating of solution of reactants comprising one or more of diphenols, or diphenol derivatives, and an organic compound
Implementation Method 3
a forcedly liquid-circulating line (3) having a circulation inlet end (3a) connected to a delivery end side portion of the evaporator, a circulation outlet end (3b) connected to a feed side end portion of the evaporator and a liquid transporting means (4) arranged between the circulation inlet end and the circulation outlet end of the circulating line, whereby a non-evaporated portion of the mixed multi-component liquid is forcedly circulated
Implementation Method 4
vapor phase reaction mediated by catalyst to get monoalkyl ether of a dihydric phenolic compound
Data Source
AI summary
This invention comprises a process and a system thereof comprising apparatuses for developing multi-component vapor mixture by heating of solution of reactants comprising one or more of diphenols, or diphenol derivatives, and an organic compound, wherein the organic compound is one which upon reacting in a vapor state in presence of a catalyst with diphenols, or diphenol derivatives, produces a monoalkyl ether of a dihydric phenolic compound; and wherein the entire solution of reactants completely transforms into a super-heated multi-component vapor using heaters without the use of thin film evaporator. The complete transformation of the entire solution of said reactants in to super-heated multicomponent vapor is achieved by heating the entire solution firstly by a pre-heater followed by further heating by a super-heater, further comprising removal of the condensed high boilers and tar to drain, and subjecting the superheated vapor to vapor phase reaction mediated by catalyst to get monoalkyl ether of a dihydric phenolic compound.