Production Technology

There are two kinds of commercial process of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) preparation, which both use propylene as raw materials. The older method using refinery grade propylene and sulfuric acid catalyst indirect dehydration to produce isopropyl sulfate, then use steam hydrolyzed into sulfuric acid and IPA, crude IPA was purified by distillation. Newer chemical route is using chemical grade propylene (90% to 99%) to direct hydration, avoiding the use of sulfuric acid. Propylene and water through heating, the gas-liquid mixture into the trickle-bed reactor containing sulfonated polystyrene cation exchange resin under pressure.Also phosphoric acid catalyst by manipulation in a fixed bed reaction is carried out in the gas phase.

 

There is also a liquid line, using a soluble tungsten catalyst. IPA is obtained from the aqueous solution by distillation. Also a small amount of IPA from acetone hydrogenation in the liquid phase, but the process is only applicable to the excess acetone available place.