# US 8,772,538 B2 · Process for producing formic acid by hydrothermal oxidation reaction with glycerol and their equipment

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- Number: US 8,772,538 B2
- Document ID: US8772538B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/650,245
- Filed: 2012-10-12
- Published: 2013-02-07
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2011-10-17
- Assignees: Tongji University
- Applicants: Tongji University
- Inventors: Yalei Zhang; Zheng Shen; Xuefei Zhou; Min Zhang; Jingfei Zhou
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772538B2

## CPC

- C07C 51/235: of —CHO groups or primary alcohol groups
- C07C 51/285: with peroxy-compounds
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS

## Abstract

A process for producing formic acid by hydrothermal oxidation reaction with glycerol and their equipment, wherein glycerol and oxidant are subjected to a hydrothermal oxidation reaction, air, oxygen or H2O2 as oxidant, at a temperature in the range of 150 to 450° C. and under pressure equal to or more than the saturated vapor pressure at the temperature. The glycerol produced from plant fats, animal fats or the like or pure product synthesized chemically or a discharge containing glycerol generated at the production of diesel fuel oil from fats, in which the fats are subjected to a transesterification with alcohol in the presence of an alkali catalyst in order to obtain fatty acid ester is preferably used as a starting material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for producing formic acid, wherein glycerol and an oxidant are subjected to a hydrothermal oxidation reaction;
wherein the oxidant is H2O2; and
wherein the hydrothermal oxidation reaction is carried out at a temperature in the range of 150 to 450° C.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the hydrothermal oxidation reaction is carried out with the oxidant supply in the range of 50 to 500%, the stoichiometric demand for the complete oxidation of glycerol into formic acid and water was defined as 100% oxidant supply.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the glycerol produced from plant fats, animal fats or a pure product synthesized chemically is used as a starting material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the process further comprises a step of performing a gas-liquid separation, wherein formic acid is separated from a gas mixture including CO2, CO, and O2, generated in the hydrothermal oxidation reaction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the process further comprises a step of concentrating the formic acid in an aqueous solution after the hydrothermal oxidation reaction according to an electrodialysis process.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the process further comprises a step of separating a liquid of formic acid in an aqueous solution after the hydrothermal oxidation reaction according to a distillation process.