Isopropanol (IPA) Technology
Badger Isopropanol (IPA) technology produces high purity isopropanol, while offering low capital and operating costs.
Crude IPA is produced as an intermediate stream in Badger’s Acetone-to-Cumene (ATC) technology via the hydrogenation of acetone.
Typically, in the ATC process, the IPA is then alkylated with benzene in a reaction step to produce cumene. However, for the process that produces IPA, the IPA intermediate is purified and becomes the final product.
Commercial Experience
Badger’s IPA process has been licensed eight times for a total licensed capacity of 480 KTA and the first unit started up successfully in 2020.
Resources
Isopropanol (IPA) Process
Hydrogenation
A hydrogenation system converts acetone and hydrogen to isopropyl alcohol (IPA). The hydrogenation reactor operates in the mixed phase, trickle bed flow regime. Acetone and hydrogen feedstocks enter the reactor and react on a supported nickel catalyst. The effluent from hydrogenation flows to downstream processing for purification of the IPA product.
Purification
The feed to purification is a stream containing primarily isopropyl alcohol and water at a composition close to their low boiling azeotrope. The product separation is accomplished using simple distillation, with fewer columns than other technologies. The product is a commercial grade IPA product that conforms to the ASTM D-770 specification. There is also a small vent stream and a small wet purge leaving the purification system.
Why Isopropanol (IPA) Technology
- IPA unit can be integrated into existing cumene-phenol plants to produce a cumene product if integrated with IPA alkylation
- Can be a standalone IPA unit producing commercial grade IPA product
- Small catalyst volume in hydrogenation reactor.
- Simple distillation scheme to purify the IPA product.
- High yield and low energy consumption.
Contact our Experts
Dana Johnson
Tel: +1 617-748-7220