New domestic HPPOa technology for propylene oxide production

Abstract

The stages of development of new HPPOa technology for propylene oxide production from propylene and hydrogen peroxide are briefly described: from laboratory reactor (2017) to pilot plant (2020) with a capacity of 2,000 tons per year. Replacement of toxic methanol with available acetonitrile as solvent in the epoxidation reaction of propylene over proposed TIS-1 catalyst; three reactor unit with separate supply of hydrogen peroxide; absorber for saturation of azeotropic acetonitrile with propylene; the use of monoethanolamine instead of toxic hydrazine hydrate for deep purification of commercial propylene oxide (> 99.95%) is the essence of the new technology. Ltd “Karpatnaftochim” intends to build a facility for production of propylene oxide with a capacity of 130,000 tons per year using HPPOa technology.