Oxidation is the interaction of oxygen molecules with various substances. This is one of the main processes that exist on Earth. This phenomenon exists both in living and non-living nature. It is customary to refer the oxidation process to chemical processes. It is also found in other processes, in particular, biological. Oxidation of compounds in biological processes has its own characteristics. This is determined by biological transformations, enzymatic catalysis and light oxidation conditions, low temperature and low pressure.
We will consider the oxidation of light hydrocarbons from the point of view of modern chemistry. The oxidation process of hydrocarbons is a very complex process. It is necessary for the production of many oxygen-containing compounds necessary for the existence of people.
Oxidation process of light hydrocarbons can occur in a gaseous or liquid state, depending on the amount of hydrocarbons per unit volume of the reaction mixture. This state will depend on e of hydrocarbon, temperature and pressure of the oxidation reaction. Liquid phase oxidation is widely used in industry. Oxidation of hydrocarbons is a radical chain process consisting of three main stages: incipience, continuation and termination of the chain.
Chain incipience is the interaction of an oxygen molecule with a hydrocarbon. It depends on the reaction temperature and the probability of collision of the molecules of the reacting substances in the oxidation zone. The chain incipience is determined by the time of accumulation of the amount of active oxygen-containing compounds for the start of a radical reaction. This time is called the oxidation induction period. During chain incipience, hydroperoxides and peroxides are formed, depending on the oxidizing hydrocarbon. These compounds are thermally unstable. At temperature, they split into parts of the molecule with the formation of atoms that have a broken chemical bond. Such fragments of molecules are called radicals. The radicals interact with oxygen molecules and form peroxide radicals, which play an important role in various transformations during the oxidation process. During the oxidation of hydrocarbons, the following transformations occur: transfer of radicals, oxidation of hydrocarbons, by-products and target products, thermal decomposition of various compounds. This process forms a large number of different compounds. This interferes with the widespread use of oxidation processes in industry, since questions arise with the isolation of target products and the disposal of by-products.
Various methods are used to control the oxidation process of hydrocarbons. These are the use of well-known homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts and the liquid-phase catalysis developed by us. Liquid-phase catalysis is a liquid compound in a molecule of which there are atoms or functional groups with high polarization. These compounds can hold oxygen molecules and form complex compounds together with hydrocarbons. At low temperatures, these complex compounds decompose with the formation of oxygen-containing compounds. .. The oxidation process can be controlled by changing the technological parameters: temperature, time, and pressure, oxygen concentration in the oxidizing gas and the concentration of hydrocarbons in the reaction mixture. The process of hydrocarbon oxidation is also influenced by the introduction of certain compounds into the reaction zone oxidation, water vapor. In the processes of oxidation of hydrocarbons, oxidation and decomposition of the reaction products also take place. Given the formation of a large number of different compounds that take part in the oxidation process, one can imagine how difficult it is to control this process. We studied the oxidation and thermal decomposition of both the hydrocarbon compound itself and the compounds formed during its oxidation. Based on the work done, we have established that all these compounds are oxidized and thermally decomposed under various conditions. The reaction rates of the conversion of these compounds are also different. Therefore, the oxidation process of hydrocarbons can also be controlled by changing the rate of conversion reactions. Increase the rate of conversion reactions promoting the formation of target products and reduce the rate of conversion reactions leading to the formation of by-products. This can be achieved by the oxidation of hydrocarbons at various technological parameters. It is necessary to carry out the process of oxidation of hydrocarbons with some technological parameters, and oxidize the reaction mixture with other technological parameters.
Based on the above, we have developed a new technological process for the oxidation of hydrocarbons. We propose to carry out the oxidation process in several stages with the removal of the target products from the oxidation zone and the introduction of water vapor into the reaction mixture.
An increase in the yield of target products and a decrease in the yield of by-products when controlling the process of oxidation of hydrocarbons increase their competitiveness in comparison with other processes. This increases the likelihood of their greater use in industry.