Polyol Ester Recovery via Steam Treatment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing polyol ester production processes generate side streams with substantial amounts of polyol esters, but these streams are not efficiently recovered, leading to inefficiencies in raw material usage and production capacity, as they contain a mix of desired polyol esters and secondary components.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the reaction of polyols with aliphatic monocarboxylic acids, followed by steam treatment to separate and concentrate the polyol esters, using additional steam treatments and adsorbents to enhance the polyol ester content and reduce secondary components, thereby improving the efficiency of polyol ester recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If steam treatment is used to separate polyol esters from side streams, then polyol ester content is increased, but production capacity and raw material efficiency remain suboptimal due to loss of polyol esters in discarded streams
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the discarding and recovering principle by taking the volatile side stream that was previously discarded and subjecting it to a second steam treatment to recover polyol esters. The organic phase from the first steam treatment, which contains 10-60% polyol esters, is treated again with steam to concentrate the polyol esters to >80% purity. This recovers valuable material that would otherwise be wasted, thereby improving both polyol ester content and production capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent processes the side stream in two sequential dimensions: first steam treatment to separate and concentrate polyol esters to the organic phase, followed by a second steam treatment of that organic phase to further concentrate polyol esters. This two-dimensional processing approach transforms a single-pass separation into a multi-stage concentration process, achieving >80% polyol ester purity from a mixture that initially contained only 10-60%.
2Quantity of substance
If multiple steam treatments are applied to concentrate polyol esters, then polyol ester content increases, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the universality principle by using the same steam treatment apparatus and methodology for both the first and second steam treatments. The multi-functional steam treatment process serves multiple purposes: initial separation of polyol esters from the crude ester mixture, concentration of the organic phase, and final purification to achieve >80% polyol ester content. This universal approach avoids the need for entirely different processing equipment for each stage.
3Ease of manufacture
If side streams are discarded without recovery, then process simplicity is maintained, but raw material efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent directly addresses this contradiction by implementing recovery of polyol esters from the volatile side stream through a second steam treatment. Instead of discarding the organic phase containing 10-60% polyol esters, the process treats it again with steam to concentrate and recover the polyol esters. This recovers valuable raw materials that would otherwise be lost, improving raw material efficiency while adding only one additional processing step.
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 effectively recovers a product stream enriched with polyol esters, increasing raw material efficiency and production capacity without requiring significant investments, while maintaining the quality of the polyol esters by optimizing steam treatment conditions to balance ester content and color number.
Implementation Method 1
The crude ester is treated with steam. The stream volatile with respect to water is separated off and condensed.
Implementation Method 2
In the condensation product, an aqueous phase and an organic phase separate from one another.
Implementation Method 3
The separated organic phase or the side stream is subjected to a further steam treatment, during which the content of the desired polyol ester can be concentrated.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for obtaining polyol esters-enriched product streams from the side-streams in polyol ester production, in which method polyols are reacted with linear or branched aliphatic monocarboxylic acids having 3 to 20 carbon atoms and the water that is formed is removed, and, after the unreacted starting compounds have been separated, a steam treatment is carried out and a volatile side-stream is formed from which, by further treatment with steam, a polyol esters-enriched product stream is obtained as residue.