The specific embodiment
Below, the centrifugal thin-film vaporising device that illustrates as one embodiment of the present of invention and the recovery method of product steam are adapted to pass through heating raw liquid or the decomposition reaction of the additive by utilizing catalyst etc. or the recovery of the product steam that the reaction that depolymerizes generates.
As such example, the example of the monomer that recovery produces by the thermal decomposition molten polymer is arranged.For example, decompose waste materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, reclaim ethene, propylene, cinnamic monomer.The raw material that monomer after the recovery can be used as polymer utilizes again.Perhaps, in the synthesis procedure of PLA or polyethylene glycol acid, also be fit to make the ring-shaped condensate of hydroxycarboxylic acids such as lactide as intermediate material, glycolide etc.
Example as the additive beyond the catalyst has, antioxidant, stabilizing agent, ultra-violet absorber, pigment, colouring agent, inorganic particulate, various filler, remover, plasticizer and other similar additive, though the adding proportion of these additives is arbitrarily, but be below the 50 weight % preferably with respect to principal component, better below 30%.
In the present embodiment, supply with continuously polymer, oligomer as material liquid with molten condition, one side heating one side contacts with catalyst as required, is placed under the reduced pressure atmosphere, depolymerizes with this, and the steam of analyte is reclaimed as product.In addition, the liquid of reactive tank inside goes bad by the reaction that depolymerizes, and forms the state different with material liquid originally certainly, but all is not called material liquid following the differentiation.
In the present embodiment, " synthetic continuously " is except the common meaning, comprise that also base feed etc. and the time of discharging product or reactant liquor etc. brings to the situation that a few part overlaps, or continuous base feed etc., discharge the situation of product or reactant liquor etc. continuously.
In order to make polymer and oligomer be in molten condition, need make heating-up temperature on its fusing point.Though fusing point changes according to the kind of the degree of polymerization distribution of polymer or oligomer or starting monomer, composite rate etc., is generally 100~250 ℃, is preferably 180~220 ℃.
Be used for the catalyst of polymerisation, can suitably selecting the catalyst that is suitable for according to the polymer that is synthesized.For example, the catalyst that depolymerizes as the oligomer that is used for lactic acid or glycol acid, can use the catalyst for ring-opening polymerization of PLA, polyethylene glycol acid, for example, can use and contain the catalyst of from the group that periodic table IA family, IVA family, IVB family and VA family form, selecting at least a metal or metallic compound.
As the catalyst that belongs to IVA family, organic tin catalyst (for example, lactic acid tin, tartaric acid tin, two tin octoates, two laurate tin, two palmitic acid tin, distearyl acid tin, two oleic acid tin, α-Nai Jiasuan tin, β-naphthoic acid tin, 2 ethyl hexanoic acid tin etc.) and powder tin etc. are for example arranged.
As the catalyst that belongs to IA family, alkali-metal hydroxide is for example arranged (for example, NaOH, calcium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide etc.), the salt of alkali metal and weak acid (for example, sodium lactate, sodium acetate, sodium carbonate, Sodium Caprylate, odium stearate, calcium lactate, calcium acetate, calcium carbonate, calcium octoate etc.), alkali alcoholate (for example, sodium methoxide, calcium methoxide, caustic alcohol, calcium ethoxide etc.) etc.
As the catalyst that belongs to IVB family, zirconium compounds such as titanium compound, zirconium iso-propoxide of tetrapropyl metatitanic acid fat (テ ト ラ プ ロ ピ Le チ ネ one ト) etc. etc. is for example arranged.
As the catalyst that belongs to VA family, antimony compounds such as antimony trioxide etc. are for example arranged.Wherein on activity, organic tin catalyst or tin compound are best.
Catalyst is if liquid or pulverous solid, then can use following any method, that is, pass through the catalyst adding set after molten polymer or the interpolation of fusion oligomer, supply with mixed liquor continuously to the device that depolymerizes, with the continuous method of discharging of the raffinate after depolymerizing; Or directly add the device that depolymerizes to, make the molten polymer of continuous supply or the method that the fusion oligomer contacts in the device that depolymerizes.
But, catalyst is owing to can make molten polymer or fusion oligomer depolymerize (have catalyst activity during) during the rated wear, therefore, by using the latter's method, discharge raffinate in the stage that catalyst activity reduces, add the efficient height of the method for raw catelyst.
In addition, be to have following method under the situation of solid at catalyst, that is, in the equipment in the device that depolymerizes, the structure, be positioned at least a portion of the face that contacts with molten polymer or fusion oligomer.In the method, though do not need the adding set of catalyst, but compare with said method and to have following shortcoming, promptly, reduce with the real contact area of molten polymer or fusion oligomer, so the reaction that depolymerizes is slow, and each catalyst activity reduces all needs to maintain the depolymerize interior equipment of device, works etc.
In the present embodiment, the centrifugal thin-film vaporising device makes the liquid of supplying with in device that is concentrated run into the device case inner face, form thin liquid film by centrifugal force, quickens evaporation by heating from the device case outside.Rotor with blade is set in the stationary device housing, and the blade of centrifugal force by rotation is to being concentrated the liquid effect.
In the manner, have and to make the equipment scale miniaturization, by the rotation of gap width between blade and the housing and blade being controlled, can be controlled advantages such as thickness of liquid film.No matter be horizontal or vertical centrifugal thin-film vaporising device can, the additive of catalyst etc. is trapped in the device, the running by rotor, blade can make catalyst be dispersed in molten polymer or the fusion oligomer.
Therefore, even owing to supply with molten polymer or fusion oligomer continuously from an end of device, if with the discharge rate equilibrium of ring-shaped condensate steam, also hold-up can be remained necessarily, therefore, not necessarily need to discharge continuously from the other end.
Compare with discharge rate, if quantity delivered is not enough, that is,, then increase the quantity delivered of material liquid, the thickness of liquid film that reaches regulation gets final product if confirm thinning of liquid film.On the contrary, under the many situations of quantity delivered, the dykes and dams portion by the stirring vane rear suppresses material liquid and leaks, confirms that from liquid film liquid film thickens, and therefore, reduces the quantity delivered of raw material, the thickness of liquid film that reaches regulation gets final product.
When the attenuating along with catalyst activity depolymerizes the efficient reduction of reacting, perhaps when the accumulation owing to the residue after the depolymerizing of molten polymer or fusion oligomer increases hold-up, pass through the outage interior liquid of discharger discontinuously as required, add new catalyst to device, entry into service gets final product once more.From such viewpoint, the feed system of material liquid preferably is set or the nozzle of the additive of supplying with catalyst etc. is set in reactive tank.
And, outage be provided with the position under the situation of discharging continuously, must be arranged on the rear of tank diameter, but be interrupted under the situation of discharging turn round owing to close tapping valve usually, therefore also can be arranged on and the stirring vane position overlapped.In this case,, dykes and dams portion the position that is about to run into stirring vane can be arranged on, the leakage space of material liquid can be obviously reduced in order to suppress the leakage of material liquid from liquid film.
One of method of measuring thickness of liquid film has by centrifugal force measures the method for liquid film to reactive tank inwall applied pressure.The method of gaging pressure has the method that spirit level is set, observes its liquid level at the top of reactive tank outside, pressure sensor is set, measures corresponding to the voltage method of pressure etc.
Especially under the situation of using vertical centrifugal thin-film vaporising device, no matter the top from reactive tank still is the underfeed material liquid, preferably by making stirring vane have a part of spiral function, so that can produce the power of raising up, be used for resistance and because of gravity liquid flowed down and keep liquid film.
Below just depolymerize the reaction method and the embodiment of device describe.Embodiment shown below is the operation that depolymerizes in all process steps.
In an embodiment of the invention, the device that depolymerizes uses the centrifugal thin-film vaporising device.Reducing pressure by the vavuum pump via the condenser setting of the condenser of product steam, impurity in centrifugal thin-film vaporising device inside, adds the additive of catalyst etc. as required discontinuously in reactive tank.
In the centrifugal thin-film vaporising device, supply with molten polymer continuously as material liquid.Measure the hold-up of material liquid in device by the hold-up analyzer, quantity delivered is adjusted to a certain amount of.Dykes and dams portion by the stirring vane rear portion suppresses the leakage to the stirring vane outside.Additive in the centrifugal thin-film vaporising device mixes with material liquid by the rotation of the blade of rotor, simultaneously, by centrifugal force by the inner face that is pressed in device case, along the shape formation liquid film of device case inner face.Utilize heating device shell such as thermal medium outside, from device case externally heating liquid film, by contact the analyte that promotes after the generation with additive, being the evaporation of product.The steam that contains analyte is discharged to the outside of centrifugal thin-film vaporising device, supplies with to the condenser of product steam.At this, the recovery that is condensed of product steam is transferred to refining step as required.The steam of discharging from the condenser of product steam enters the impurity condenser, liquefies at this.Usually how condensed impurity is discarded.Discharge to the system outside through vavuum pump from the gas that the impurity condenser is discharged.
The mode of above-mentioned centrifugal thin-film vaporising device is the mode that makes the blade rotation in the device case that is fixed, apply centrifugal force, usually, uses the tabular blade parallel with rotating shaft, is mostly to be provided with radially from rotating shaft.Other modes also have use to carry out bending and form spiral helicine blade.The centrifugal thin-film vaporising device can be following device,, the device of rotating shaft and ground level setting, vertically disposed device, is arranged to the device of the angle in the middle of it that is.
The hold-up measuring appliance also can use the liquid level meter of capacitivity, differential pressure of for example utilized head (liquid ヘ Star De), fusion oligomer etc.
Under the situation that the liquid film amount of centrifugal thin-film vaporising device increased along with the time, the activity that is considered as the additive of catalyst etc. reduces, after internal-response liquid is once discharged from the device leakage fluid dram, adding additive in the material liquid of ormal weight mixes, then, the entry into service device begins the continuous supply of material liquid, the continuous discharge of product steam once more.In addition, solid catalyst is being fixed, is being arranged on as additive under the situation of housing inner face etc., do not needing the supply operation of catalyst.
The condenser of product steam, the condenser of impurity are under the situation of ring type condensation product of lactide etc. at product steam, preferably the surface condenser that makes steam and cold-producing medium carry out mediate contact across metal tube.This is to generate acid because the ring type condensation product in case directly contact with the cold-producing medium that contains water, then decomposes.And acid catalyst not only hinders the progress of polymerisation, and might cause the material corrosion of condenser etc.
The condensate of impurity contains the optical isomer low-melting composition that becomes to grade sometimes, in case contact with water then generates sourly, so might cause corrosion.The ring type condensation product is being used under the situation of inert cryogen, though such problem does not take place, needing abundant dry cold-producing medium, reduce moisture.
Below, be specifically described with regard to the present invention by embodiment.
First embodiment
Fig. 1 is the PLA synthesis procedure figure of present embodiment.Starting monomer (lactic acid) 100 is made of the refining step 104 of depolymerize operation 103, the annular condensation product of the condensation operation 102 of enrichment process 101, concentrate, oligomer, ring-opening polymerisation operation 105, the treatment process 106 of remaining monomer, the drying process 107 of polymer.Can omit these operations according to the characteristic of polymer, the necessity of process, also can append other operations halfway.And the treatment process of remaining monomer can be selected following mode,, breaks away from, removes monomer under reduced pressure atmosphere that is, smaller or equal to the modes such as solid phase under the temperature of fusing point.In these operations, the centrifugal thin-film vaporising device of present embodiment is applicable to the operation that depolymerizes of oligomer.
Fig. 2 is the pie graph that the centrifugal thin-film vaporising device of present embodiment is used for the continuous solution polymerization process of lactic acid oligomer.
As shown in Figure 2, the oligomer from condensation operation 102 beginning of concentrate is stored in oligomer and supplies with in the groove 1.Oligomer is supplied with groove 1 and is connected with liquid delivery pump 10 by valve 16, and catalyst supply is connected for groove 2 with liquid delivery pump 11 by valve 17, and liquid delivery pump 10, delivery pump 11 are connected with continuous solution polyplant 3.
Thermal medium heater 32 is connected with continuous solution polyplant 3, and thermal medium heater 32 is connected with the thermal medium cover 33 of continuous solution polyplant 3 described later by liquid delivery pump 31.Thermocouple 27 is arranged on the liquid film part of continuous solution polyplant 3, and thermocouple 27 is connected with thermoregulator 28, and thermoregulator 28 is connected with thermal medium heater 32.
The device leakage fluid dram 35 of continuous solution polyplant 3 is connected with discharge opeing accumulator tank 4 by valve 18, liquid delivery pump 12, and liquid delivery pump 15 is connected with discharge opeing accumulator tank 4 by valve 21.The steam exhaust-gas mouth 34 of continuous solution polyplant 3 is connected with the condenser 5 of lactide by valve 22, and condenser 5 is connected with the condenser 7 of impurity by valve 23, and condenser 7 is connected with vavuum pump 9 by valve 25.
The bottom of condenser 5 is connected with lactide accumulator tank 6 by valve 24, and lactide accumulator tank 6 is connected with refining step by valve 19, liquid delivery pump 13.The bottom of condenser 7 is connected with impurity accumulator tank 8 by valve 26, and impurity accumulator tank 8 is connected with liquid delivery pump 14 by valve 20.
Thermal medium cover 33 is set in the outside of the housing 30 of continuous solution polyplant 3, in the inboard of housing 30 blade 29 is set, this blade 29 is arranged on the rotating shaft.
As continuous solution polyplant 3, Fig. 3 represents the horizontal centrifugal thin-film device that rotating shaft and ground level are provided with, and Fig. 4 represents the vertical centrifugal film apparatus of rotating shaft setting perpendicular to the ground.
As shown in Figure 3, horizontal centrifugal thin-film device is provided with the outlet 43 of steam at a distolateral supply port 42 that base feed liquid is set of reactive tank 38 at another distolateral main body top of reactive tank 38.The material liquid of supplying with from supply port 42 accumulates in the bottom part body of reactive tank 38, but stirs by blade 39, becomes the liquid film that forms along the inner face of reactive tank 38 by centrifugal force.At the rear portion of blade 39 dykes and dams portion 40 is set, prevents that liquid film is to rear flow.Dividing plate (ス ペ one サ one) 41 is set at the rear portion of dykes and dams portion 40, liquid is accumulated even leak of liquid takes place.Be provided as the thickness of liquid film meter 36 of liquid level meter in the bottom part body of reactive tank 38, the thickness of the liquid film measured is fed back to no illustrated control device, liquid delivery pump 10 is controlled.Leakage fluid dram 44 is if in the bottom part body of reactive tank 38, then in the position that blade 39 is set, can be arranged between the supply port 42 and reactive tank 38 of material liquid.
As shown in Figure 4, vertical centrifugal thin-film device is owing to carry out the exhaust of gas from top, therefore, is provided with exhaust outlet 43 on the top of the blade 39 of reactive tank 38, is provided with the supply port 42 and the leakage fluid dram 44 of material liquid in the bottom of reactive tank 38.The material liquid of supplying with from supply port 42 accumulates in the bottom of reactive tank 38, but is subjected to the power that raises up and the centrifugal force of blade 39, along the main body inner wall face formation liquid film of reactive tank 38.On the top of blade 39 dykes and dams portion 40 is set, prevents that liquid film from rising on top.Reactive tank 38 is provided with thickness of liquid film meter 36, and the thickness of the liquid film measured is fed back to no illustrated control device, and liquid delivery pump 10 is controlled.At this, also can monitor the amount that remains on the material liquid on the liquid film.
At this, vertical centrifugal thin-film device is compared with horizontal centrifugal thin-film device, need by stirring vane 39 to raw material liq apply the power of raising up, with opposing because of flowing down that gravity produces, but little to the influence of the bending of the rotating shaft of blade, be suitable for large scale (ス ケ one Le ア Star プ).
And condenser 5, condenser 7 can be provided with multistage respectively as required, and its connection can be a serial or parallel connection.And, can omit oligomer and supply with groove 1, liquid delivery pump 10~15, valve 16~26.
The action of the continuous solution polymerization process of the lactic acid oligomer of Gou Chenging describes like this.
Open valve 16, running liquid delivery pump 10, supply with groove 1 from oligomer and supply with the fusion oligomer continuously to continuous solution polyplant 3.Open valve 17, running liquid delivery pump 11 as required, supply with catalyst to continuous solution polyplant 3 for groove 2, by supplying with to continuous solution polyplant 3 after having illustrated static mixer to be dispersed into the fusion oligomer from catalyst supply.At this, static mixer can use common mixer as required, if the mixed effect abundance in the continuous solution polyplant 3 then can omit.
In continuous solution polyplant 3, inner vanes 29 rotations mix, form mixed liquor by blade 29 fusion oligomer with catalyst.Mixed liquor is subjected to the centrifugal force of blade 29, is pressed against inner face, the formation liquid film of housing 30.Measure the hold-up of the fusion oligomer in the continuous solution polyplants 3 by thickness of liquid film meter 36, adjust liquid delivery pump 10 rotary speed, make the thickness of liquid film for certain.
Measure the liquid film temperature by the thermocouple 27 that is arranged on liquid film part, the measured value of thermocouple 27 is transported to thermoregulator 28.According to control signal control thermal medium heater 32 from thermoregulator 28, the outside of heated shell 30, the mixing material temperature that makes thermal medium overlap 33 places arrives 200 ℃.In case the outside of heated shell 30, then by with the contacting of catalyst, the fusion oligomer depolymerize and the lactide that generates from liquid film evaporation.
In case open valve 22~26, then steam is discharged from exhaust outlet 34.The steam of discharging is supplied with to the condenser 5 of lactide.In condenser 5, lactide is cooled near 95~98 ℃ of fusing points temperature, carry out condensation, flow to lactide accumulator tank 6 then and reclaim.After being recovered to lactide accumulator tank 6, open valve 19, running liquid delivery pump 13 is transferred to refining step.
Steam enters the condenser 7 of impurity from condenser 5, and impurity is cooled near the temperature of 53 ℃ of the fusing points of middle lactide, carries out condensation, is recovered to then in the impurity accumulator tank 8.Open valve 20, running liquid delivery pump 14, the condensate of impurity is discharged to the system outside.Remaining gas is sucked by vavuum pump 9 from condenser 7, is discharged into the system outside.
Under the situation that the weight of the material that is discharged to continuous solution polyplant 3 outsides reduces, being considered as catalyst activity reduces, therefore, after liquid delivery pump 10 is temporarily stopped, opening valve 18, reactant liquor discharged to discharge opeing accumulator tank 4 from device leakage fluid dram 35 by liquid delivery pump 12.The discharge liquid that is stored in the discharge opeing accumulator tank 4 is discharged to system is outside by opening valve 21, running liquid delivery pump 15.The discharge liquid that is discharged from can be like this as discarded object, but by further handling under vacuum environment etc., in evaporation, reclaim the lactic acid class after discarded its residue, can help to improve the raw material yield rate sometimes, reduce the discarded object amount.
With reactant liquor from device leakage fluid dram 35 after discharge opeing accumulator tank 4 is discharged, running liquid delivery pump 10, begin to supply with the fusion oligomer, open valve 17, running liquid delivery pump 11, add the catalyst of ormal weight, once more the entry into service device.
The material liquid of supplying with from the supply port 42 of continuous solution polyplant 3 accumulates in the bottom part body of reactive tank 38, utilizes blade 39 to stir, and forms liquid film by the power of raising up, centrifugal force along the main body inner wall face of reactive tank 38.By the thickness of thickness of liquid film meter 36 measurement liquid films, the thickness of the quantity delivered of control material liquid, formation regulation.The inboard of the central portion space of the lactide steam that generates from liquid film by the liquid film inboard the reactive tank 38, annular dykes and dams portion 40 arrives exhaust outlet 43 and carries out exhaust.
Continuous solution polyplant 3 synthetic thick lactides by first embodiment.Several mean molecule quantities of the oligomer of Shi Yonging are 630 in this experiment.The holdup time of the oligomer in continuous solution polyplant 3 is 5h, and thickness of liquid film is 5cm, and catalyst (2 ethyl hexanoic acid tin) concentration is 0.7kg/m
3The time, the optical isomer rate in the operation that depolymerizes increase to 1%.At this, the holdup time of oligomer is defined as, the flow of the condensate of the supply flow rate of fusion oligomer and the steam of discharging from steam outlet 34 equates that the fusion oligomer supply flow rate during the thickness of liquid film stabilisation is divided by the value of the fusion oligomer hold-up in the continuous solution polyplant 3.And, be 2.5 for painted, the b value of using this lactide to carry out the PLA of ring-opening polymerisation, can think that the influence of the thermal decomposition when depolymerizing is little.
Comparative example
Use the oligomer identical, in existing pot type reactive tank, carry out step depolymerizing with first embodiment.In the time of depolymerizing is that 10h, initial stage liquid level are that 80cm, initial stage catalyst concn are 5kg/m
3Condition under implement.Its result, for the lactide that generates, the optical isomer rate in the operation that depolymerizes increase to 9%, the painted b of the being value of using this lactide to carry out the PLA of ring-opening polymerisation is 4.4.
Like this, clear and definite method by first embodiment can obtain the ring type condensation product of the few lactide of optical isomerization and thermal decomposition etc., can obtain the polymer of high-quality PLA etc.
More than, according to present embodiment, owing to monitor the amount of the material liquid that thickness of liquid film or liquid film kept that forms by stirring vane, and the inhibition material liquid is set from the dykes and dams portion of liquid film to the leakage of the space at the stirring vane rear of reactive tank inside, therefore, can make the speed of production and the constant product qualityization of product steam.
And in the inner dykes and dams portion that the annular that is higher than thickness of liquid film is set of reactive tank, the steam of generation passes the inner space of annular dykes and dams portion, therefore, can not hinder the discharge of the steam of generation, can suppress the leakage of material liquid from liquid film.At this, because therefore the height that makes dykes and dams portion, can form the dykes and dams portion that is higher than thickness of liquid film at least greater than the gap width between reactive tank internal face and the stirring vane.
Above-mentioned content is set forth with regard to embodiment, and the present invention can carry out various changes and correction in the scope of its spiritual and appended claim, and this is very clear and definite for those skilled in the art.