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MEG (ethylene glycol) is an important raw material for chemical production, widely used in fields such as polyester fibers, antifreeze, unsaturated polyester resins, etc. In the manufacturing methods of MEG, petrochemical route and biological route are two common methods. This article will provide a detailed introduction to these two manufacturing methods

1、 Petrochemical route refers to the process of producing MEG from petroleum through a series of chemical reactions. This process mainly includes the following steps: 

1 Ethylene oxidation generates ethylene oxide 

Mix ethylene and oxygen, and react to produce ethylene oxide through the action of a silver catalyst. This reaction needs to be carried out under high temperature and pressure, and the temperature and pressure of the reactor need to be controlled to ensure the progress of the reaction and the selectivity of the product

2. Hydration of epoxyethane to produce ethylene glycol 

Mix epoxyethane with water and react to produce ethylene glycol through the action of an acidic catalyst. This reaction needs to be carried out at a certain temperature and pressure, while controlling the pH value of the solution and the concentration of the catalyst to ensure the progress of the reaction and the purity of the product

After the above two steps, a relatively pure MEG product can be obtained. However, in the production process, factors such as raw material consumption, catalyst activity, and equipment maintenance also need to be considered to improve the economic benefits and environmental friendliness of production

2、 Biological route refers to the process of producing MEG through microbial fermentation. Compared with petrochemical routes, biological routes have advantages such as a wide range of raw material sources and environmentally friendly production processes, gradually becoming a research hotspot in the field of MEG manufacturing. The biological route mainly includes the following steps: 

1 Microbial fermentation uses carbon sources such as glucose as nutrients for microorganisms, and through microbial metabolism, converts the carbon source into MEG. During the fermentation process, it is necessary to control the growth conditions and metabolic pathways of microorganisms in order to increase the yield and purity of MEG

2. Product separation and purification 

By using separation techniques such as distillation and extraction, the MEG in the fermentation broth is separated from impurities to obtain a relatively pure MEG product. In the process of product separation and purification, factors such as product yield, purity, and operating costs need to be considered

At present, the technology for manufacturing MEG using biological routes is not yet fully mature, and there are still some technical difficulties that need to be solved. However, with the continuous development of microbial engineering and separation technology, it is believed that biological routes will become the mainstream technology in the field of MEG manufacturing in the future

In summary, the manufacturing methods of MEG include two types: petrochemical route and biological route. Petrochemical routes have advantages such as easy availability of raw materials and mature technology, but the production process generates a large amount of waste and pollutants, causing significant pressure on the environment. Biological routes have advantages such as a wide range of raw material sources and environmentally friendly production processes, but there are still some technical difficulties that need to be solved. In the future, with the continuous improvement of environmental awareness and technological progress, it is believed that biological routes will become the mainstream technology in the MEG manufacturing field.