Hydrogen Peroxide Direct Oxidation (HPPO) Technical Advantages and Bottlenecks

Hydrogen peroxide direct oxidation (HPPO) is an important technology for propylene oxide (PO) production. As an important organic chemical raw material, propylene oxide is widely used in plastics, fibers, coatings and pesticides. In recent years, with the improvement of environmental protection requirements and the progress of production technology, HPPO method has been widely concerned because of its high efficiency and environmental protection. This paper will analyze the current situation and future development of HPPO method in detail from the aspects of technical advantages and bottlenecks.

1. HPPO method of technical advantages

1. Environmental performance is excellent

The core reaction of the HPPO process is the direct oxidation of propylene to propylene oxide by hydrogen peroxide. Compared with the traditional process, HPPO method has significant environmental advantages. Hydrogen peroxide is a green oxidant, the reaction process does not produce sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and other harmful gases, reducing the pollution to the environment. The HPPO method has fewer by-products, mainly water and a small amount of salt, which can achieve green production to a certain extent.

2. Process simplification

The process flow of HPPO method is simpler than the traditional process. Traditional propylene oxide production methods, such as allyl chloride and isopropyl alcohol methods, usually require multi-step reactions and complex separation processes. The HPPO law can obtain propylene oxide through direct oxidation reaction, which reduces the intermediate links and reduces the complexity and operation difficulty of the equipment.

3. Product quality is high

The product of the HPPO process has a high purity of propylene oxide and does not require a complex distillation or separation process. This method can effectively control the occurrence of side reactions, the impurity content of the product is low, and the quality of propylene oxide is significantly improved.

2. HPPO Bottleneck

1. Catalyst preparation is difficult

The core technology of HPPO method is the development and application of catalyst. At present, HPPO catalysts commonly used in the market are mostly noble metal or metal oxide-based catalysts, which are not only expensive to prepare, but also easy to be deactivated in practical applications. The stability of the catalyst is also a critical issue. Under the condition of high temperature and high pressure, the activity of the catalyst is easy to decrease, and it needs to be replaced or regenerated frequently, which increases the production cost.

2. Hydrogen peroxide cost and supply issues

Hydrogen peroxide is the main oxidant of HPPO reaction, and its cost and supply problems have a significant impact on the economy of the process. The production of hydrogen peroxide requires a large amount of energy and raw materials, resulting in its high price. Hydrogen peroxide has certain security risks in the process of transportation and storage, and has higher requirements on logistics and storage conditions, which further increases the production cost.

3. Process scale is limited

The reaction conditions of HPPO method put forward higher requirements for equipment and process design. Since strict temperature and pressure conditions need to be controlled in the reaction process, the investment cost of large-scale production equipment is high. The reaction rate and selectivity of HPPO method are highly sensitive to process parameters, and it is difficult to achieve large-scale industrial production.

3. summary and prospect

Hydrogen peroxide direct oxidation (HPPO), as an efficient and environmentally friendly propylene oxide production technology, has significant technical advantages. There are still some bottlenecks in catalyst preparation, hydrogen peroxide cost, process scale and so on. In the future, with the progress of catalyst technology and the reduction of hydrogen peroxide production cost, HPPO method is expected to occupy a more important position in the field of propylene oxide production.

For the chemical industry, the successful application of HPPO method not only helps to improve the yield and quality of propylene oxide, but also reduces environmental pollution and promotes the development of green chemical industry. Future research directions should focus on the development of high-performance catalysts, the efficient use of hydrogen peroxide and the expansion of process scale to further enhance the competitiveness of HPPO process.