Method of producing lower alcohols from glycerol

Abstract

A reactive-separation process converts glycerin into lower alcohols, having boiling points less than 2000 C, at high yields. Conversion of natural glycerin to propylene glycol through an acetol intermediate is achieved at temperatures from 150° to 2500 C at pressures from 1 and 25 bar. The preferred applications of the propylene glycol are as an antifreeze, deicing compound, or anti-icing compound. The preferred catalyst for this process in a copper-chromium.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11 / 510,992 filed Aug. 28, 2006 claiming benefit of priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 731,673 filed Oct. 31, 2005, and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11 / 088,603 filed Mar. 24, 2005, which claims benefit of priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 556,334 filed Mar. 25, 2004 and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 420,047 filed Apr. 21, 2004, which claims benefit of priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. Nos. 60 / 374,292, filed Apr. 22, 2002 and 60 / 4103,24, filed Sep. 13, 2002, all of which are incorporated by reference herein.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field of The Invention[0003]This invention relates generally to a process for value-added processing of fats and oils to yield glycerol and glycerol derivatives. More particularly, the process converts glycerol to acetol and / or propylene glycol,...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a process for converting glycerol to acetol with high purity and yield. The process involves using a catalyst to hydrogenate glycerol, resulting in the formation of a reaction mixture. By controlling the reaction conditions, including temperature, pressure, and water content, the process can produce exceptional yields of acetol with high purity. The patent also describes the use of a stripper gas to remove the reaction product from the reaction mixture. The gas can be reactive with the acetol reaction product, resulting in the formation of propylene glycol. The process can be carried out in a slurry phase or in a gas phase, with different reaction times depending on the desired outcome. Overall, the patent provides a valuable tool for producing high-quality acetol and related products from glycerol.

Problems solved by technology

Existing processes for the hydrogenation of glycerol to form other products are generally characterized by requirements for excessively high temperatures and pressures.

For example, high temperatures may degrade the reaction products.

Working pressures of several hundred bar create safety concerns and increase the capital costs of implementing these processes.

Most of such processes yield substantial impurities that may necessitate costly purification steps to isolate the desired reaction products.

None of the processes shown by these patents provide a direct reaction product mixture that is suitable for use as antifreeze.

None provide process conditions and reactions that suitably optimize the resultant reaction product mixture for direct use as antifreeze.

None address the use of unrefined crude natural glycerol feed stock, and none of these processes are based on reactive distillation.

The reaction may be performed at temperatures of up to 270° C., 280° C. or even 290° C. or 300° C.; however, the use of these increased temperature results in thermal degradation of the reaction product together with die-reactions, and so is not recommended for applications where high purity of the reaction product is required.

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