Improving the energy efficiency and production performance of the cyclohexanone ammoximation process via thermodynamics, kinetics, dynamics, and economic analyses

Abstract

Abstract Cyclohexanone ammoximation is widely used as an efficient method to synthesize cyclohexanone oxime in industrial production. In this study, the cyclohexanone ammoximation production process was explored based on reaction kinetics in order to reduce its energy consumption and total annual cost. The effects of the reaction temperature, space time, and raw material ratios on the cyclohexanone oxime yield were analyzed. Under the optimized operating conditions, the maximum C6H11NO yield was 99.86%, and the minimum total annual cost was 5.988 × 107 $ per year. Dynamic control of the cyclohexanone ammoximation production process was further explored under the optimized conditions. The proposed control structure could achieve effective control and maintain the desired product yield when flow rate and composition disturbances were introduced. The energy and exergy analyses of the cyclohexanone ammoximation process show that its energy efficiency can be improved from a thermodynamic perspective. The combination of a steady state simulation and dynamic control, thermodynamic analysis, and economic performance evaluation provide insight into the improvement and operation of the cyclohexanone oxime production process.