Formic Acid Production Technology

Formic acid, another name methanoic acid, formula: HCOOH, molecular weight:
46.03; density: 1.2201, melting point:8.4boiling point:100.8. Formic acid is a
colorless, fuming, stongly corrosive, inflammable liquid with pungent odor. It is
miscible with water, ethanol, ether, and glycerine. Due to its aldehyde group, formic
acid can react with silver ammonia solution to occur silver mirror reaction; due to its
carboxyl group, it can reacted with alkali reagents. Formic acid is mainly used in
rubber, medicine, dyestuffs and leather industries.
Section A. Formic Acid Production Brief
Formic Acid Production process is that methanol is continuously oxidized in the
tube reactor to first form formaldehyde, then to form formic acid. Excess water is
distilled out in distillation column; as a result, 85% concentration formic acid is
produced.
Formic Acid Production Process can be divided into the following 8 steps:
Methanol vaporization and mixing with air.
Oxidation of methanol vapor.
Reaction mixture cooling.
Formaldehyde oxidation
Formic gas cooling to 55% concentration
Offgas purification under catalysis
Diisopropyl ether as a azeotropic mixture to concentrate formic acid from 55% to
85% via fractionation
Fractionation of aqueous diisopropyl ether solution
Before entering blower, air must be filtrated through air filter. Clean air and
methanol through pre- heater and evaporator are mixed and then is directly sent to
oxidation reactor (The gas from reactor outlet is heated and sent to oxidation section).
Methanol is oxidized in the reactor under metal oxidant catalyst. The reaction
equation is as following:
Main Reaction:

3
+ 1/2
2
= +
2

Side Reactions:
2
3
=
3

3
+
2

3
+
2
= + 2
2

The heat generated from oxidation reaction is cooled by oil in the reactor jacket;
while the generated steam is removed by separator. The resultant formaldehyde is
oxidized by oxygen contained mixing gas to form formic acid in the two continuous
reactors. The reaction heat is removed by water. 55% formic acid gas is cooled by
condenser wherein water and glycol serve as cooling medium. The tail gas prior to
atmospheric emission must take conversion treatment, after which 98% gas purity can
be reached. 55% formaldehyde condensate is sent to fraction distillation column. Also
diisopropyl ether is supplied to the top of the fraction distillation column as a
azeotropic mixture. Through fractionation, formic acid is concentrated to 85%. The
diisopropyl ether is recovered, purified and returned to the system, while waste water
is treated before discharge.


PFD for Formic Acid

Section B. Material Consumption Quota
Main Raw Materials Consumption
No. Name Specification Unit Target
1 Methanol 100%
Kg/tcalculated on 100%
formaldehyde basis
1015
2 Cooling Water
M
3
/tcalculated on 100%
formaldehyde basis
120
3 Power 380V/50HZ
KWH/tcalculated on 100%
formaldehyde basis
195
4
Iro-Molybdenum
Catalyst


Kg/tcalculated on 85%
formaldehyde basis
0.083
5
Vanadium-
Titanium
Catalyst

Kg/tcalculated on 85%
formaldehyde basis
0.76
6
Diisopropyl
Ether

Kg/tcalculated on 85%
formaldehyde basis
50













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