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Formox process for West German formaldehyde plant

Formox process for West German formaldehyde plant JANUARY 1977 PIGMENT AND RESIN TECHNOLOGY 19 A new formaldehyde plant using the Formox process developed and to be licensed by the Swedis h firm Perstorp AB and Reichhold Chemicals Inc, of USA, is to be built at Marl, Nordrhein West- falen by GAF-Hüls Chemie GmbH. The design of the plant has been chosen according to Perstorp ex- perience and Perstorp will also have the leading part in the supply of engineering and know-how for the plant. It wil l have a capacity corresponding to 70 000 ton s of formaldehyde per annum calculated as 37 % (26,000 tons of formaldehyde per annum calculated as 100%) for use in the production of butane-diol, and will be the third of its kind in West Germany to be licensed for the Formox process. Fig 1 shows a similar installation at Perstorp in Sweden. More than fifty plants throughout the world, wit h a combined output of some two million tons of 37% formaldehyde per annum, now use the Formox process, which depends on direct oxidation of methanol in the presence of a catalyst based on molybdenu m oxide. adjusted to produce any formaldehyde concentra­ The process begins with metered quantities tio n up to 55-60% at the base of the tower. The of methanol and air being passed through a vapor- heat of solution and any heat remaining in the isert o vaporise the methanol, and then into a tubular reaction gases are removed by further cooling inside reactor containing a fixed bed of the catalyst. A the tower. rapid rise in temperature to between 320° and 350°C is followed by rapid two-stage cooling of the pro­ High yield duc t gases. The two heat-exchangers involved pro­ Important advantages of the Formox process duce enough steam for the vaporiser plus a sub­ include an exceptionally high yield — up to 93% stantial surplus (see Fig 2) . of the methanol converted into saleable product — Afte r cooling, the gases pass upwards in an and the fact that any concentration of formaldehyde absorption tower, through a counter current of water up to 55-60% can be produced by direct absorp­ whic h dissolves all solubles. Its flow rate can be tion in a single pass; therefore no further distillation is required. Negligible amounts of methanol remain (typicall y 0.6% by weight in a 37% solution or 1.5% in a 55 % soultion) and only 0.02% of formic acid. The catalyst has a life of one year or more, being less prone to poisoning than silver crystals used in the conventional silver process. The low reaction temperature results in little by-product formation , and the short residence time of the methanol within the plant greatly reduces the risk of explosion or fire. The high concentration of formaldehyde whic h can be produced is of special interest to the adhesives industry, where less water to be evapora­ te d means savings in kettle capacity. Shipping costs can also be reduced, since a 55 % solution contains only 0.82 ton of water per ton of formaldehyde, compare d with more than double that proportion of water in a 37 % solution. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Pigment & Resin Technology Emerald Publishing

Formox process for West German formaldehyde plant

Pigment & Resin Technology , Volume 6 (1): 1 – Jan 1, 1977
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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © Emerald Group Publishing Limited
ISSN
0369-9420
DOI
10.1108/eb041236
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Abstract

JANUARY 1977 PIGMENT AND RESIN TECHNOLOGY 19 A new formaldehyde plant using the Formox process developed and to be licensed by the Swedis h firm Perstorp AB and Reichhold Chemicals Inc, of USA, is to be built at Marl, Nordrhein West- falen by GAF-Hüls Chemie GmbH. The design of the plant has been chosen according to Perstorp ex- perience and Perstorp will also have the leading part in the supply of engineering and know-how for the plant. It wil l have a capacity corresponding to 70 000 ton s of formaldehyde per annum calculated as 37 % (26,000 tons of formaldehyde per annum calculated as 100%) for use in the production of butane-diol, and will be the third of its kind in West Germany to be licensed for the Formox process. Fig 1 shows a similar installation at Perstorp in Sweden. More than fifty plants throughout the world, wit h a combined output of some two million tons of 37% formaldehyde per annum, now use the Formox process, which depends on direct oxidation of methanol in the presence of a catalyst based on molybdenu m oxide. adjusted to produce any formaldehyde concentra­ The process begins with metered quantities tio n up to 55-60% at the base of the tower. The of methanol and air being passed through a vapor- heat of solution and any heat remaining in the isert o vaporise the methanol, and then into a tubular reaction gases are removed by further cooling inside reactor containing a fixed bed of the catalyst. A the tower. rapid rise in temperature to between 320° and 350°C is followed by rapid two-stage cooling of the pro­ High yield duc t gases. The two heat-exchangers involved pro­ Important advantages of the Formox process duce enough steam for the vaporiser plus a sub­ include an exceptionally high yield — up to 93% stantial surplus (see Fig 2) . of the methanol converted into saleable product — Afte r cooling, the gases pass upwards in an and the fact that any concentration of formaldehyde absorption tower, through a counter current of water up to 55-60% can be produced by direct absorp­ whic h dissolves all solubles. Its flow rate can be tion in a single pass; therefore no further distillation is required. Negligible amounts of methanol remain (typicall y 0.6% by weight in a 37% solution or 1.5% in a 55 % soultion) and only 0.02% of formic acid. The catalyst has a life of one year or more, being less prone to poisoning than silver crystals used in the conventional silver process. The low reaction temperature results in little by-product formation , and the short residence time of the methanol within the plant greatly reduces the risk of explosion or fire. The high concentration of formaldehyde whic h can be produced is of special interest to the adhesives industry, where less water to be evapora­ te d means savings in kettle capacity. Shipping costs can also be reduced, since a 55 % solution contains only 0.82 ton of water per ton of formaldehyde, compare d with more than double that proportion of water in a 37 % solution.

Journal

Pigment & Resin Technology – Emerald Publishing

Published: Jan 1, 1977

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