Acetic acid, also known as acetic acid, is an important organic chemical raw material that is widely used in the production of many chemicals. There are several main methods of manufacturing acetic acid:
1. Ethanol oxidation
Ethanol oxidation is the main method of industrial production of acetic acid, which is based on the principle of oxidizing ethanol to acetic acid in the presence of a catalyst. The method usually uses silver or copper as the catalyst and air or oxygen as the oxidizing agent. Temperature and pressure need to be controlled during the reaction to ensure that the reaction proceeds and the products are selective. The ethanol oxidation method has the advantages of easy availability of raw materials, simple operation and high purity of products, so it is widely used in industrial production.
2. Acetaldehyde oxidation
Acetaldehyde oxidation is a traditional method for the manufacture of acetic acid, based on the principle of oxidizing acetaldehyde to acetic acid in the presence of a catalyst. The method usually uses copper acetate or manganese acetate as the catalyst and air or oxygen as the oxidizing agent. Temperature and pH need to be controlled during the reaction to ensure that the reaction proceeds and the products are selective. The advantage of the acetaldehyde oxidation method is that it can utilize acetaldehyde as a feedstock, but the catalyst is less active and needs to be replaced periodically, resulting in higher production costs.
3. Low Carbon Hydrocarbon Oxidation
Low Carbon Hydrocarbon Oxidation is a new method of manufacturing acetic acid based on the principle of oxidizing low carbon hydrocarbons (e.g., methane, ethane, etc.) to acetic acid in the presence of a catalyst. The method usually uses precious metals such as platinum and palladium as catalysts and oxygen as oxidizing agent. The reaction temperature and pressure need to be controlled during the reaction to ensure that the reaction proceeds and the products are selective. The advantage of the low-carbon hydrocarbon oxidation method is that it can utilize cheap and readily available low-carbon hydrocarbons as raw materials, but the preparation and regeneration of the catalyst is more difficult, so it is not yet widely used.
Regardless of which manufacturing method is used, the production of acetic acid requires strict control of the reaction conditions and operating steps to ensure the quality and yield of the product. At the same time, the wastes and by-products generated in the production process also need to be reasonably treated and utilized to avoid waste and pollution of the environment and resources.
Overall, the manufacturing methods of acetic acid have their own advantages and disadvantages, and the suitable method should be selected according to the specific production conditions and needs. In the future, with the continuous progress and application of science and technology, the production technology of acetic acid will also be improved and perfected to make greater contribution to the development of chemical production field.
