Short-Path Evaporator Purifies High-Boiling Monomers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for purifying high-boiling monomers, such as hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylates, face challenges in achieving high purity and yield while minimizing the use of polymerization inhibitors and energy consumption, particularly due to difficulties in suppressing polymerization and removing impurities effectively.
Innovation Solution
A process involving a short-path evaporator with controlled mass flow density and composition, where at least 95% of the starting composition is vaporized and condensed, allowing for high-purity monomer production with low energy consumption and reduced polymerization inhibitor usage, is employed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high amounts of polymerization inhibitors are used to suppress polymerization during purification of high-boiling monomers, then polymerization is suppressed, but the purity and yield are compromised and discoloration occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters by conducting evaporation at reduced pressures (0.01-10 mbar) and controlled temperatures (110-170°C for high-boiling monomers), which suppresses polymerization without requiring high concentrations of inhibitors, thereby achieving high purity products
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition through evaporation and condensation in a short-path evaporator system, where monomers are evaporated at controlled conditions and condensed to achieve purification without relying on polymerization inhibitors
2Reliability
If high amounts of polymerization inhibitors are used to suppress polymerization, then polymerization is suppressed, but yield losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
By changing pressure and temperature parameters during evaporation, the patent enables purification at conditions where polymerization is suppressed naturally, avoiding the need for high inhibitor concentrations that cause yield losses
3Reliability
If large amounts of stabilizer are used to prevent polymerization, then polymerization is prevented, but further processing becomes adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses evaporation and condensation phase transitions to separate monomers from stabilizers and inhibitors, enabling removal of harmful substances without requiring large amounts of stabilizer that would interfere with subsequent processing
4Manufacturing precision
If conventional distillation is used for purifying high-boiling monomers, then purification is achieved, but energy consumption is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs short-path evaporation with phase transition at reduced pressures, which requires significantly less energy than conventional distillation while achieving comparable or superior purification of high-boiling monomers
Solution Approach 2:
By changing pressure parameters during evaporation, the patent enables efficient separation at lower temperatures, reducing energy consumption while maintaining high product purity
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 high-purity monomers with high yields and low energy consumption, enabling reliable and efficient purification of high-boiling monomers, adaptable to specific processing requirements, and maintaining low polymerization inhibitor levels.
Implementation Method 1
at least part of the starting composition is vaporized in a short-path evaporator
Implementation Method 2
evaporated and then condensed
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a process for purifying monomers, by evaporating at least a portion of the monomers present in a starting composition and then condensing it, which is characterized in that at least a portion of the starting composition is evaporated in a short-path evaporator, the mass flow density of the vapors {dot over (m)} being selected according to the relation (I) m . ≤ 1800 kg · K mbar · m 2 · h · kg kmol · p i · ( M ~ T ) 0.5 ( I ) in which {tilde over (M)} is the average molar mass of the vapors in the short-path evaporator in kg/kmol T is the temperature of the vapors in K pi is the pressure in the short-path evaporator in mbar {dot over (m)} is the mass flow density of the vapors in kg/(m2·h). A further aspect of the present invention is a plant for performing the process.