Bisphenol a Synthesis- Modeling of Industrial Reactor and Catalyst Deactivation

摘要

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an important starting material for production of epoxy resins and polycarbonates it is manufactured by ion exchanger resin catalyzed condensation of acetone and phenol. Much higher reaction rate is achieved when in the reaction environment are present thiol group containing compounds. The presence of promoter increases the reaction rate by factor 7-10 and significantly improves the selectivity. The promoter can be either dissolved in the reaction mixture (e.g. 0.5 wt. % of ethylmercaptan) or it can be immobilized in the resin catalyst by neutralization of about 15 % of the acidic groups with 2-mercaptoethyl amine (cysteamine). The promoter immobilization eliminates possible problems with smelly emissions from the process equipments. Certain problem in practical applications can be the deactivation of the catalyst. We have studied this problem on the base of analysis of actual data on functioning of an industrial reactor and laboratory model experiments.