Selective Phosphate Extraction via Organic Solvent
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for producing phosphoric acid from phosphate rock are inefficient and costly, particularly when dealing with secondary phosphates, as they require heating and complex equipment, and struggle with separating impurities like iron, aluminum, and magnesium sulfates, leading to low yields and high operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A direct acidulation process without organic solvents, utilizing the exothermic reaction between phosphorus-containing materials and acids with a pKa of 3.5 or lower, followed by extraction with a water-miscible organic solvent, which allows for high-purity and high-concentration phosphoric acid production with minimal water content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional wet-process methods are used to produce phosphoric acid from secondary phosphates, then separation of impurities can be achieved, but the process requires heating and complex equipment, increasing operational costs and reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts phosphoric acid from secondary phosphate materials using a selective extraction process with organic solvents, separating the phosphoric acid from impurities like iron, aluminum, and magnesium sulfates. This extraction approach eliminates the need for complex heating equipment and traditional wet-process separation methods, directly resolving the contradiction between achieving separation and reducing equipment complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters by using organic solvents with specific solubility characteristics to selectively dissolve phosphoric acid while leaving impurities behind. This parameter change in the extraction medium allows for simple, low-cost separation without requiring complex equipment or heating processes
2Productivity
If traditional acid attack methods are used on phosphate rock, then phosphoric acid can be produced, but the process is inefficient and costly when dealing with secondary phosphates containing iron, aluminum, and magnesium sulfates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses selective extraction with organic solvents to pull phosphoric acid from secondary phosphate materials without requiring energy-intensive heating or complex separation processes. This extraction method directly addresses the inefficiency of traditional acid attack methods on secondary phosphates, improving productivity while reducing energy loss and operational costs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces organic solvents as intermediary substances that facilitate the transfer and separation of phosphoric acid from impurities. These solvents act as mediators that enable efficient extraction without requiring direct, energy-intensive acid attack on the secondary phosphate materials, thus improving production efficiency and reducing operational costs
3Productivity
If heating is applied to phosphate sources to improve reaction effectiveness, then conversion to phosphoric acid increases, but investment and operational costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts phosphoric acid from secondary phosphates using organic solvents at ambient or moderate temperatures, eliminating the need for high-temperature heating. This extraction approach maintains high conversion effectiveness while dramatically reducing energy consumption, resolving the contradiction between productivity and energy use
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the extraction parameters by using organic solvents that enable effective extraction at lower temperatures compared to traditional heating methods. This parameter change in the extraction system allows for maintaining high conversion effectiveness without the significant energy input required by thermal processing
4Ease of operation
If water is added to the reaction mixture to facilitate extraction, then phosphoric acid can be dissolved, but the concentration and purity of the final phosphoric acid product decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses organic solvents as intermediary substances that facilitate phosphoric acid dissolution without introducing water. These solvents enable easy extraction and dissolution of phosphoric acid while maintaining high concentration and purity in the final product, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and product concentration
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 achieves a fast, high-yield, and cost-effective conversion of secondary phosphate sources to high-purity, concentrated phosphoric acid, overcoming separation issues and reducing operational costs by using a monophasic extraction method that is suitable for fertilizer production.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing the exothermic reaction between phosphorus-containing materials and acids with a pKa of 3.5 or lower
Implementation Method 2
extracting phosphoric acid from the reaction mixture by adding organic solvent to the reaction mixture
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a process for the production of phosphoric acid, phosphoric acid obtainable by the process, the production of ammonium phosphate salts, and to the use of ammonium salts. A process for the production of phosphoric acid, comprising: i) reacting a phosphorus-containing material with an acid, without organic solvent, thereby forming a reaction mixture comprising phosphoric acid, wherein said acid has a pKa of 3.5 or lower, and ii) extracting phosphoric acid from the reaction mixture by adding organic solvent to the reaction mixture, thereby forming a phosphoric acid solution, wherein 20 wt. % or less of free water is added to the reaction mixture, based on the total weight of the reaction mixture, and the phosphorus-containing material comprises secondary raw material comprising phosphate.