Integrated Propane Dehydrogenation and Epoxidation Process
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing processes for producing propene and propene oxide from propane require significant equipment and lack flexibility in capacity utilization, as they often rely on separate units for dehydrogenation and epoxidation with inefficient energy use.
Innovation Solution
An integrated process that includes dehydrogenating propane to produce a stream with at least 95% propane and propene, separating this stream into high propene and high propane fractions using thermally integrated rectification columns, reacting propene with hydrogen peroxide in excess, and recycling streams to optimize equipment usage and energy efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate units are used for dehydrogenation and epoxidation, then process reliability is improved, but device complexity and equipment quantity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the dehydrogenation and epoxidation units into an integrated process where the rectification column serves dual purposes: separating propene for polymer production and providing propene for epoxidation. This merging reduces the total number of equipment units while maintaining process reliability through functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The rectification column is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a separation unit for polymer-grade propene and as a feed source for the epoxidation reactor. This universal equipment performs multiple functions within the process, reducing overall equipment quantity while maintaining operational reliability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If fixed capacity utilization is used in separate units, then process stability is improved, but adaptability to varying product ratios deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated process enables dynamic adjustment of capacity utilization ratios between dehydrogenation and epoxidation units. The rectification column can flexibly allocate propene to different product streams based on market demands, allowing the system to adapt to varying product ratios while maintaining overall process stability through coordinated operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The process allows changing operational parameters such as the split ratio of propene distribution between polymer production and epoxidation. By adjusting these parameters, the system can adapt to different product ratio requirements while maintaining stability through controlled parameter transitions within design limits.
3Use of energy by moving object
If thermally integrated rectification columns are used, then energy efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal integration utilizes phase transitions (condensation and vaporization) within the rectification columns to transfer heat between streams. The condensing overhead vapor from one column provides heat for the reboiler of another column, efficiently utilizing the latent heat of phase change to improve energy efficiency while managing thermal integration complexity through standardized heat exchanger design.
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 integrated process reduces equipment needs, allows flexible operation with varying capacity utilization, and achieves energy savings by using thermally integrated columns, even when less propene is withdrawn for epoxidation, while maintaining high propene oxide production efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
separating this stream into a high propene stream and a high propane stream by passing it through a propene/propane rectification column
Implementation Method 2
dehydrogenating propane to propene
Implementation Method 3
reacting propene with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of an epoxidation catalyst
Data Source
AI summary
The integrated process comprises a step a) of dehydrogenating propane providing a stream S1 comprising propane and propene; a step b) of separating stream S1 in at least one rectification column, providing an overhead product stream S2 comprising more than 99% by weight propene, a side stream S3 comprising from 90 to 98% by weight propene and a bottoms product stream S4 enriched in propane; a step c) of reacting propene with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of an epoxidation catalyst using propene in molar excess; and a step d) of separating non-reacted propene and propene oxide from the reaction mixture of step c) providing a propene oxide product and a stream S5 comprising propene and propane; wherein stream S3 is passed to step c), stream S5 is recycled to step b) and stream S4 is recycled to step a).