Adipic acid process flow

Adipic acid process
Adipic acid is an important organic compound with wide applications in the chemical industry. The following is the process flow of adipic acid.
1、 The main raw materials for the synthesis of adipic acid are hexene and air. Hexene, as an olefin compound, can be obtained through petroleum extraction or naphtha separation. And air is obtained from the atmosphere, where oxygen is an important gas raw material for the synthesis of adipic acid.
2、 The reaction for synthesizing adipic acid requires suitable environmental conditions, including temperature, pressure, and reaction vessel. Optimized reaction conditions can help improve reaction yield and reduce energy consumption. For example, the synthesis of adipic acid is usually carried out under conditions of temperature of 150-200 ℃ and pressure of 2-3MPa.
3、 The catalyst selection for the synthesis of adipic acid requires the presence of a catalyst to promote the progress of the reaction. The commonly used catalyst at present is cobalt based catalyst, which has high activity and selectivity. The selection of catalysts also needs to consider their lifespan and regeneration performance to reduce production costs.
4、 After the reaction process, hexene and air enter the reaction vessel and are preheated to reach the appropriate reaction temperature. Then, under the action of a catalyst, an oxidation reaction occurs to produce adipic acid. During the reaction process, it is necessary to control the oxygen supply rate and reaction temperature in order to obtain high-yield and high-purity adipic acid products.
5、 Product Separation

There may still be some impurities in the reaction products of synthesizing adipic acid, such as unreacted hexene, reaction by-products, and catalysts. Therefore, after the reaction is complete, a series of separation processes need to be carried out on the product to obtain high-purity adipic acid. Common separation processes include distillation, crystallization, and extraction.
6、 The adipic acid product obtained from post-treatment separation still needs to undergo post-treatment to meet market demand. For example, adipic acid can be converted into its salts, such as sodium diethyl adipate, through neutralization reactions, which are used in industries such as coatings, plastics, and fibers. At the same time, distillation and purification processes can also be carried out to improve the quality of the product.
7、 Waste treatment in the adipic acid process also generates certain waste and exhaust gases. These wastes need to be centrally processed to avoid polluting the environment. Common waste disposal methods include incineration, oxidation, and catalytic conversion.
In summary, the process flow of adipic acid includes steps such as raw material preparation, environmental preparation, catalyst selection, reaction process, product separation, product post-treatment, and waste disposal. Through rational process design and optimization, the production efficiency and product quality of adipic acid can be improved, achieving sustainable development.