ACRYLIC ACID PRODUCTION METHODS

• US 20160016876A1
• Filed: 02/20/2013
• Published: 01/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Novomer, Inc (Danimer Scientific, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Novomer, Inc (Danimer Scientific, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mahoney, James E.
• Application Number:
  US14/378,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20160016876A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 51/09 from carboxylic acid esters or lactones
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 57/04 Acrylic acid; Methacrylic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 303/00 Compounds containing three-membered rings having one oxygen atom as the only ring hetero atom
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 305/00 Heterocyclic compounds containing four-membered rings having one oxygen atom as the only ring hetero atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 305/12 Beta-lactones
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 120/06 Acrylic acid; Methacrylic acid; Metal salts or ammonium salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 122/02 Acids; Metal salts or ammonium salts thereof , e.g. maleic acid or itaconic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 63/08 Lactones or lactides
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 63/823 for the preparation of polylactones or polylactides
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors

Abstract

In one aspect, the present invention encompasses safe and efficient methods for providing highly pure acrylic acid. In certain embodiments, the inventive methods include the step of producing polypropiolactone from ethylene oxide at a first location, transporting the polymer to a second location and pyrolyzing the polypropiolactone to provide glacial acrylic acid. In certain embodiments, the step of pyrolyzing the polymer is performed continuously in conjunction with a polymerization process to make SAPs.

Claims

1. A method for producing acrylic acid, the method comprising the steps of:

forming polypropiolactone at a first location;

isolating at least some of the polypropiolactone; and

pyrolyzing at least some of the isolated polypropiolactone to liberate acrylic acid at a second location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transporting the isolated polypropiolactone to the second location prior to said pyrolyzing.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of transporting comprises moving the polypropiolactone a distance of more than 100 miles.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the polypropiolactone prior to said pyrolyzing.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location and the second location are between 100 and 12,000 miles apart.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first location and the second location are at least 250 miles, at least 500 miles, at least 1,000 miles, at least 2,000 or at least 3,000 miles apart.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of storing the polypropiolactone occurs at the first location.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of storing the polypropiolactone occurs at the second location.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of storing comprises storing the polypropiolactone for at least 1 week.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of storing comprises storing the polypropiolactone for at least 1 month.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of storing comprises storing the polypropiolactone for at least 6 months.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein, on a predetermined day, the price of ethylene at the first location is less than the price of ethylene at the second location, wherein the predetermined day is any day between 15 and 180 days inclusive prior to the day on which said forming polypropiolactone occurs.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the predetermined day is any day between 30 and 90 days inclusive prior to the day on which said forming polypropiolactone occurs.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein, on a predetermined day, the price of ethylene at the first location is less than the price of propylene at the second location, wherein the predetermined day is any day between 15 and 180 days inclusive prior to the day on which said forming polypropiolactone occurs.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the predetermined day is any day between 30 and 90 days inclusive prior to the day on which said forming polypropiolactone occurs.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the first location is characterized in that it is located within 300 miles of a shale play or basin.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first location is characterized in that it is located within 150 miles of a shale play or basin.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming polypropiolactone comprises reacting ethylene oxide with carbon monoxide.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of reacting ethylene oxide with carbon monoxide comprises carbonylating the ethylene oxide to form beta propiolactone.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of polymerizing said beta propiolactone.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of reacting ethylene oxide with carbon monoxide comprises contacting the ethylene oxide with a metal carbonyl compound.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of reacting ethylene oxide with carbon monoxide comprises copolymerizing ethylene oxide with carbon monoxide.

24. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the acrylic acid liberated by the pyrolysis is glacial acrylic acid.

25. The method of claim 1, comprising the additional step of feeding the acrylic acid liberated by the pyrolysis to an acrylic acid polymerization.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the acrylic acid is fed directly to the acrylic acid polymerization without isolation and storage of the acrylic acid.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein a rate of the pyrolysis is matched to a rate of polymerization in the acrylic acid polymerization.

4. A method for producing acrylic acid, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at a second location polypropiolactone formed at a first location, and

pyrolyzing at least some of the received polypropiolactone to liberate acrylic acid at the second location.

28. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of storing the polypropiolactone prior to said pyrolyzing.

29. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of forming polypropiolactone comprises reacting ethylene oxide with carbon monoxide.

30. The method of claim 4, comprising the additional step of feeding the acrylic acid liberated by the pyrolysis to an acrylic acid polymerization.