Ion-Exchange Resin Pretreatment for Aldehyde Removal in Glycols

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for reducing aldehyde content in diethylene glycol and triethylene glycol using strong acidic cation exchange resins are inefficient, as soaking the resin in these glycols reduces its effectiveness for aldehyde removal.

Innovation Solution

Soaking ion-exchange resin in monoethylene glycol instead of diethylene glycol or triethylene glycol, followed by contacting the resin with the glycol mixture to remove aldehydes, maintaining the resin's efficiency and achieving low aldehyde levels in the product.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If ion-exchange resin is soaked in diethylene glycol or triethylene glycol before treating the glycol mixture, then the resin can be used for aldehyde removal, but the resin efficiency deteriorates due to swelling in higher glycol concentrations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresin efficiency for aldehyde removalVSAvoidresin swelling and structural stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses monoethylene glycol as an intermediary solvent to soak the ion-exchange resin instead of using diethylene glycol or triethylene glycol directly. This intermediary approach allows the resin to swell adequately for effective aldehyde removal while avoiding the excessive swelling and structural degradation that occurs when soaking in higher concentration glycols. The monoethylene glycol serves as a mediator that balances resin swelling with structural stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If strong acidic cation exchange resin is used to remove aldehyde from ethylene glycols, then aldehyde content can be reduced, but the method is only highly effective for monoethylene glycol and performs poorly for diethylene glycol and triethylene glycol

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealdehyde content reductionVSAvoidapplicability to different ethylene glycol types

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of glycol concentration in the soaking solution, using monoethylene glycol (lower concentration) instead of diethylene glycol or triethylene glycol (higher concentrations). This parameter change enables the strong acidic cation exchange resin to maintain its effectiveness across different ethylene glycol types, not just monoethylene glycol. The lower concentration environment preserves resin performance while still achieving the desired aldehyde removal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 method effectively reduces aldehyde content in diethylene glycol and triethylene glycol to less than 15 ppm, improving the ion-exchange resin's efficiency and preventing resin degradation from soaking in higher glycol concentrations.

Implementation Method 1

treating the ethylene glycol with a strong acidic cation exchange resin

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectIon exchange: Ion Exchange

Implementation Method 2

the ion-exchange resin is first soaked in the target product (i.e., the ethylene glycol) for several hours for the resin to undergo swelling

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSwelling:

Data Source

PatentUS11708315B2Method of pretreating ion-exchange resin for removal of aldehyde impurities

Publication Date: 2023.07.25 SABIC GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES BV

AI summary

Method for lowering aldehyde content in a mixture comprising (i) diethylene glycol (DEG) and/or triethylene glycol (TEG) and (ii) aldehyde are disclosed. An ion exchange resin is soaked in monoethylene glycol. The mixture comprising 5 to 200 ppm aldehyde is then flowed to make contact with the soaked ion exchange resin to produce a product comprising DEG and/or TEG and less than 15 ppm aldehyde.