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A consecutive microreactor system for the synthesis of caprolactam with high selectivity
Author(s) -
Wang Kai,
Zhang Jisong,
Zheng Chen,
Dong Chen,
Lu Yangcheng,
Luo Guangsheng
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
aiche journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.958
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1547-5905
pISSN - 0001-1541
DOI - 10.1002/aic.14797
Subject(s) - microreactor , caprolactam , selectivity , chemistry , chemical reaction engineering , chemical engineering , supercritical fluid , chemical reactor , organic chemistry , catalysis , engineering
A microreactor system containing two consecutive microreactors and a stirred vessel was developed for the improvement of selectivity of caprolactam (CPL) synthesis. The first microreactor was used to conduct the reaction of cyclohexanecarboxylic acid and oleum, and 97% selectivity for the intermediate product, named mixed anhydride, was obtained. The mixed anhydride then quickly reacted with nitroso‐sulfuric acid in the second microreactor, and the reaction was completed in the vessel, where CPL selectivity reached 93.9%, a much higher value than that achieved either in a control experiment with a batch reactor or in industrial process. The advantage of microreactors is that they can provide high‐quality mixed anhydride and can mix it quickly with the nitroso‐sulfuric acid prior to reaction in the vessel reactor, which, from an engineering standpoint, gives better performance than the traditional syringe‐fed method that is common in chemical synthesis. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J , 61: 1959–1967, 2015