Polyethoxylation and polypropoxylation reactions: Kinetics, mass transfer and industrial reactor design

doi:10.1016/j.cjche.2018.02.020

Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering ›› 2018, Vol. 26 ›› Issue (6): 1235-1251.DOI: 10.1016/j.cjche.2018.02.020

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Polyethoxylation and polypropoxylation reactions: Kinetics, mass transfer and industrial reactor design

E. Santacesaria¹, R. Tesser², M. Di Serio²

1 Eurochem Engineering srl., Via Codogno 5, IT-20139 Milan, Italy;
2 University of Naples "Federico Ⅱ", Department of Chemical Sciences, Via Cinthia, IT-80126 Naples, Italy

收稿日期:2017-11-08 修回日期:2018-02-07 出版日期:2018-06-28 发布日期:2018-08-03
通讯作者: E.Santacesaria,E-mail address:info@eurochemengineering.com
作者简介:R.Tesser,E-mail address:riccardo.tesser@unina.it;M.Di Serio,E-mail address:diserio@unina.it

Polyethoxylation and polypropoxylation reactions: Kinetics, mass transfer and industrial reactor design

E. Santacesaria¹, R. Tesser², M. Di Serio²

1 Eurochem Engineering srl., Via Codogno 5, IT-20139 Milan, Italy;
2 University of Naples "Federico Ⅱ", Department of Chemical Sciences, Via Cinthia, IT-80126 Naples, Italy

Received:2017-11-08 Revised:2018-02-07 Online:2018-06-28 Published:2018-08-03
Contact: E.Santacesaria,E-mail address:info@eurochemengineering.com

摘要/Abstract

摘要： Ethoxylation and propoxylation reactions are performed in the industry to produce mainly non-ionic surfactants and ethylene oxide (EO)-propylene oxide (PO) copolymers. Both the reactions occur in gas-liquid reactors by feeding gaseous EO, PO or both into the reactor containing a solution of an alkaline catalyst (KOH or NaOH). Non-ionic surfactants are produced by using liquid starters like fatty alcohols, fatty acids or alkyl-phenols, while when the scope is to prepare EO-PO copolymers the starter can be a mono-or multi-functional alcohol of low molecular weight. Both reactions are strongly exothermic, and EO and PO, in some conditions, can give place to runaway and also to explosive side reactions. Therefore, the choice of a suitable reactor is a key factor for operating in safe conditions. A correct reactor design requires:(i) the knowledge of the kinetic laws governing the rates of the occurring reactions; (ii) the role of mass and heat transfer in affecting the reaction rate; (iii) the solubility of EO and PO in the reacting mixture with the non-ideality of the reacting solutions considered; (iv) the density of the reacting mixture. All these aspects have been studied by our research group for different starters of industrial interest, and the data collected by using semibatch well stirred laboratory reactors have been employed for the simulation of industrial reactors, in particular Gas-Liquid Spray Tower Loop Reactors.

关键词: Ethoxylation, Propoxylation, Kinetics, Mass transfer, Spray tower loop reactor

Abstract: Ethoxylation and propoxylation reactions are performed in the industry to produce mainly non-ionic surfactants and ethylene oxide (EO)-propylene oxide (PO) copolymers. Both the reactions occur in gas-liquid reactors by feeding gaseous EO, PO or both into the reactor containing a solution of an alkaline catalyst (KOH or NaOH). Non-ionic surfactants are produced by using liquid starters like fatty alcohols, fatty acids or alkyl-phenols, while when the scope is to prepare EO-PO copolymers the starter can be a mono-or multi-functional alcohol of low molecular weight. Both reactions are strongly exothermic, and EO and PO, in some conditions, can give place to runaway and also to explosive side reactions. Therefore, the choice of a suitable reactor is a key factor for operating in safe conditions. A correct reactor design requires:(i) the knowledge of the kinetic laws governing the rates of the occurring reactions; (ii) the role of mass and heat transfer in affecting the reaction rate; (iii) the solubility of EO and PO in the reacting mixture with the non-ideality of the reacting solutions considered; (iv) the density of the reacting mixture. All these aspects have been studied by our research group for different starters of industrial interest, and the data collected by using semibatch well stirred laboratory reactors have been employed for the simulation of industrial reactors, in particular Gas-Liquid Spray Tower Loop Reactors.

Key words: Ethoxylation, Propoxylation, Kinetics, Mass transfer, Spray tower loop reactor

E. Santacesaria, R. Tesser, M. Di Serio. Polyethoxylation and polypropoxylation reactions: Kinetics, mass transfer and industrial reactor design[J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2018, 26(6): 1235-1251.

E. Santacesaria, R. Tesser, M. Di Serio. Polyethoxylation and polypropoxylation reactions: Kinetics, mass transfer and industrial reactor design[J]. Chin.J.Chem.Eng., 2018, 26(6): 1235-1251.

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Polyethoxylation and polypropoxylation reactions: Kinetics, mass transfer and industrial reactor design

Polyethoxylation and polypropoxylation reactions: Kinetics, mass transfer and industrial reactor design

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