Process Design for the Separation of Three Liquid Phases for a Continuous Hydroformylation Process in a Miniplant Scale

Abstract

Within the framework of the Collaborative Research Centre SFB/TR 63 InPROMPT, “Integrated chemical processes in liquid multiphase systems”, a novel process concept for the hydroformylation of long chain alkenes to aldehydes in microemulsions is investigated and developed at the Berlin Institute of Technology (Technische Universitat Berlin), Germany. To start the hydroformylation reaction, a hydrophilic rhodium-ligand-complex is required. By applying a nonionic surfactant, a microemulsion system is formed and thus the hydrophilic catalyst is transported into the hydrophobic alkene phase. Next to achieve a high conversion rate in the continuously stirred tank reactor, the separation of the valuable rhodium catalyst from the product phase poses a challenge. This separation is the crucial step for the technical and economic feasibility of the overall process concept and plant design. Owing to the lack of thermodynamic data for microemulsion mixtures, the design of the phase separation unit strongly depends on...