Kinetics of Liquid Phase Oxidation of Cumene in Bubble Column

Abstract

Liquid phase oxidation of cumene in the absence of solvent was carried out in a bubble column in temperature range from IOO°to I3O°C. The reaction scheme in the batch-wise operation was classified in terms of three periods: the induction, the steady chain-propagation and the termination periods.The kinetics in the steady chain-propagation period, which is industrially important, was studied and the rate expressions of chemical steps were derived.

Phenol

“…HATTORI et al [19] investigated the influence of the partial pressure of oxygen on the reaction rate to CHP. As a rule of thumb, the partial pressure of oxygen in the gas phase should be above 0.1 bar for temperatures around 100 C to ensure sufficient mass transfer and thus avoid hindrance of the reaction rate.…”

Acetone

“…At low initiation rates, the rate of the reaction is essentially independent of the oxygen concentration at a partial pressure of oxygen over 33 kPa (0.33 bar) [20]. A detailed study of the rate of oxygen uptake in a bubble column as a function of temperature and partial oxygen pressure has been made [21]. The study served as a basis for a mathematical model of the oxidation [22,23].…”

Large Bubble Columns for the Oxidation of Cumene in Phenol Processes

“…The radical mechanism of the liquid phase oxidation of 2 + = + cumene CHP phenol acetone cumene is given by Twigg [4] and Hattori [5], for example. The two major byproducts in the oxidation are dimethyl phenyl carbinol (DMPC) and acetophenone (ACP).…”

“…Oxygen mixed with nitrogen was used to oxidize cumene in stirred vessels of 1.5 and 5 L. Depending on temperature the partial pressure of oxygen was always high enough to have no effect on oxygen mass transfer on the reaction rates [5].…”