High shear process for the production of acetaldehyde
A method of use for a high shear device incorporated into a process or system for the production of acetaldehyde from ethylene as a reactor device is shown to be capable of decreasing mass transfer limitations, by forming a feed stream emulsion, and thereby enhancing the acetaldehyde production process in the system.
1. A method for producing acetaldehyde, comprising:
forming an emulsion comprising oxidant gas bubbles dispersed in a pressurized aqueous solution wherein said oxidant gas bubbles have an average diameter of less than about 5 μm in a high shear device; and
introducing said emulsion into a reactor comprising a catalyst and ethylene whereby acetaldehyde is produced.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said pressurized aqueous solution is pressurized to at least about 203 kPa.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said oxidant gas bubbles have an average diameter of less than about 1.5 μm.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said high shear device has a nominal tip speed of at least about 5 m/s.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein said high shear device produces a localized pressure of about 1034 MPa at the tip.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising enriching the oxidant gas with oxygen.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising heating the dispersion prior to introduction into a reactor.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein forming said emulsion comprises subjecting said oxidant gas bubbles and pressurized aqueous solution to a shear rate of greater than about 20,000 s −1 .
9. The method of claim 1 wherein forming said emulsion comprises an energy expenditure of at least 1000 W/m 3 .
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the catalyst comprises a fluidized bed catalyst or a fixed bed catalyst.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the emulsion comprises a micro-foam.