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US 2011/0034644 A1Published application
Polyester process using a pipe reactor
AssigneeEastman Chemical Company
InventorBruce Roger DeBruin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is directed to polyester processes that utilizes a pipe reactor in the esterification, polycondensation, or both esterification and polycondensation processes. Pipe reactor processes of the present invention have a multitude of advantages over prior art processes including improved heat transfer, volume control, agitation and disengagement functions.
Claims24
A process for making a polyester monomer from a plurality of reactants comprising:
- (a) providing an esterification pipe reactor having a first inlet and a first outlet;
- (b) adding at least one reactant under esterification reaction conditions into the esterification pipe reactor proximal to the first inlet;
- wherein a liquid phase and a vapor phase flow through the esterification pipe reactor,
- wherein the esterification pipe reactor is operated in at least one flow regime selected from the group consisting of bubble flow, plug flow, stratified flow, wavy flow, slug flow, dispersed flow, and froth flow;
- wherein at least a portion of the reactants form a polyester monomer;
- and
- wherein the fluid flowing through the esterification pipe reactor is a process fluid.
4 more elements
A process for making a polyester monomer from a plurality of reactants comprising:
- (a) providing an esterification pipe reactor having a first inlet and a first outlet;
- (b) adding at least one reactant under esterification reaction conditions into the esterification pipe reactor proximal to the first inlet;
- wherein a liquid phase and a vapor phase flow through the esterification pipe reactor;
- wherein the fluid flowing through the esterification pipe reactor is a process fluid;
- (c) the process further comprising pumping the process fluid through the esterification pipe reactor with a pump;
- wherein the esterification pipe reactor is operated in at least one flow regime selected from the group consisting of bubble flow, plug flow, stratified flow, wavy flow, slug flow, dispersed flow, and froth flow;
- wherein at least a portion of the reactants form a polyester monomer;
- and
- wherein the esterification pipe reactor is non linear between the inlet and the outlet.
6 more elements
An apparatus for producing a polyester monomer, comprising:
- (a) an esterification pipe reactor having a first inlet, a first outlet, and an interior surface;
- and
- (b) a second inlet on the esterification pipe reactor located proximal to the first inlet through which at least one reactant is added to the esterification pipe reactor;
- wherein esterification reactants flow through the interior surface of the esterification pipe reactor;
- wherein at least a portion of the reactants form a polyester monomer in the esterification pipe reactor;
- and
- wherein the esterification pipe reactor is operated in at least one flow regime selected from the group consisting of bubble flow, plug flow, stratified flow, wavy flow, slug flow, dispersed flow and froth flow.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.