Staged Pressure Reactors for Butadiene Heat Recovery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The production of butadiene is energy-intensive due to the need for large amounts of steam in oxidative dehydrogenation processes, leading to high capital and operating costs, and existing methods struggle to efficiently recover heat and reduce utilities without additional compression steps.
Innovation Solution
A process utilizing multiple reactors operated at successively reduced pressures, where a butene feedstream is split and processed in parallel reactors with decreasing pressures, using an oxidizing agent and steam, and the effluents are cooled and quenched to generate a compressed product stream, reducing the need for additional compression and utilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If large amounts of steam are used in oxidative dehydrogenation processes, then butadiene production can proceed effectively, but energy consumption and utility requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter across multiple reactor stages, operating at successively reduced pressures (e.g., 300-800 kPa in first reactor, 100-300 kPa in second reactor). This parameter change allows heat recovery without additional compression while maintaining effective butadiene production
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the butadiene production process into multiple parallel reactors operating at different pressure stages. This segmentation allows each reactor to operate under optimized conditions and enables heat recovery from higher-pressure reactors to support lower-pressure reactors without requiring additional compression
2Loss of energy
If traditional single-reactor methods are used, then the process is simpler, but heat recovery efficiency is limited and additional compression steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The process is segmented into multiple reactors operating at different pressure stages, enabling heat recovery from higher-pressure reactors to be used in lower-pressure reactors. This segmentation achieves efficient heat recovery without requiring additional compression steps
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by operating reactors at successively reduced pressures, which enables natural heat recovery and eliminates the need for additional compression equipment while improving overall heat recovery efficiency
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 approach enhances energy efficiency in butadiene production by reducing the utilities required for steam generation and optimizing heat recovery, thereby improving plant economics and butadiene yields.
Implementation Method 1
passing water through a heat exchanger to cool the first reactor effluent and generate a low pressure steam stream
Implementation Method 2
passing the cooled first reactor effluent to a quench tower to generate a quenched first reactor effluent
Data Source
AI summary
A process is presented for the oxidative dehydrogenation of butenes to butadienes. The process includes the use of parallel reactors, wherein the reactors are operated at different pressures. A butene feedstream is split into several portions wherein each portion is passed to a different reactor. Each reactor generates an effluent stream, and the effluent stream is cooled to generate steam for use in a lower pressure reactor.