Salahaddin University – Erbil

College of Engineering

Chemical & Petrochemical department

PRODUCTION OF ACETALDEHYDE
Prepared by:
Ahmed Hassan Rashed
Esmail Yasin Abdulkadir
Peshawa Kamil Hamashin
Shalaw Sardar Abdulla
Supervised by :
Brosk Frya Ali

2021-2022
Outline:
Aim and Objective
Introduction
History
Chemical and Physical properties
Methods
Uses and applications
Reference

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Objective

The aim of the project is to design acetaldehyde plant, in an economical industrial rout with lower investment
costs and a simple technique all to produce desired product for the process

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Introduction:
Acetaldehyde(ethanal) is a colorless liquid with a pungent, fruity odor. Acetaldehyde is a
volatile and flammable liquid that is miscible in water, alcohol, ether, benzene, gasoline, and
other common organic solvents.
Acetaldehyde (systematic name ethanal) is an organic chemical compound with the formula
CH3 CHO, sometimes abbreviated by chemists as MeCHO (Me = methyl).

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History:

Acetaldehyde was first prepared by Scheele in 1774, by the action of manganese dioxide and sulfuric acid on

ethanol. Liebig established the structure of acetaldehyde in 1835 when he prepared a pure sample by oxidizing

ethyl alcohol with chromic acid.

Liebig named the compound “aldehyde” from the Latin words translated as al (cohol) dehyd (rogenated).

Kutscherow observed the formation of acetaldehyde by the addition of water to acetylene in 1881.

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Chemical & Physical properties:

Chemical properties:

Acetaldehyde is a highly reactive compound. It is flammable ,toxic and corrosive in nature and is a very
dangerous fire hazards when exposed to heat or flames.
It is a strong reducing agent which undergoes number of condensation, addition and polymerization reactions.
 Decomposition
 Oxidation
 Reduction
 Polymerization
 Reaction

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•Physical
  properties:

Acetaldehyde is a colorless, with pungent odor liquid. Its melting and boiling point are -123.5 ºC and 20.8 ºC
and its density is 0.784 g*. Acetaldehyde is soluble is miscible in water, ethanol, benzene, acetone e toluene. It is
slightly soluble in chloroform; it is soluble in water and most organic solvent.

Molecular weight 44.06

Boiling point 20.8

Melting point -123.5

Flash point -38.0

Vapor density 1.52(air=1)

Vapor pressure 740mmHg at 20

Density/specific 0.79 at 18/4 ºC 7

gravity
 Production
from C1
Sources

Oxidation of Production
ethylene from
Hydrocarbon
s

Methods
Hydroformylation
Hydroformylation
of
of methanol
methanol

Oxidation of
Ethanol

Dehydrogen
Hydration
ation of
of acetylene 8
ethanol
1) oxidation of ethylene :

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•  The main method of production is the oxidation of ethylene by the Wacker process, which involves oxidation

of ethylene using a homogeneous palladium/copper system ,

In this process ethylene and oxygen used as raw material. Where Ethylene is obtained from petrochemical
industry and oxygen is taken from air.

Wacker – Chemie and Farbwerke Hoechst, developed the direct liquid phase oxidation of ethylene in 1957 –
1959. The catalyst is an aqueous solution of PdCl2 and CuCl2. In 1894,

the main reaction is :

+
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Process description:

There are two variations for the production of acetaldehyde by the oxidation of ethylene:

 Single _stage process :

 Second _stage process:

Single _stage process:

The single-stage manufacture of acetaldehyde by direct oxidation of ethylene in the gaseous phase in the presence of
palladium chloride and water.

Ethylene is oxidized in a bubble column reactor containing an aqueous solution of CuCl 2, CuCl and PdCl 2 , with oxygen, in
a cyclic process at 400K. under a pressure of 3 bars (absolute pressure),.

The gas current leaving the reactor and containing steam, acetaldehyde, ethylene and small amounts of oxygen, carbon
dioxide, acetic acid, crotonaldehyde and chlorinated compounds (such as methyl chloride, ethyl chloride and
chloroacetaldehydes) is cooled in a condenser to about 80° to 130° C.
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The condensate formed there by substantially consisting of water, small amounts of acetaldehyde and acetic acid
is generally recycled to the reactor. Small amounts of copper oxalate and high molecular by products likewise
formed remain persistent in the catalyst solution whereas the ,unreacted starting compounds leave the reactor.
Next, this portion is released from pressure, where by the dissolved low-boiling compounds such as
acetaldehyde, ethylene and carbon dioxide flash and are removed. The degassed solution is conveyed to a
regeneration vessel.
where it is heated to a temperature from about 165° to 180° C.,. The regenerated solution is recycled to the
reactor. The gas current leaving the reactor, after having been cooled in the condenser, is generally cooled further
to about 30° to 80° C., in heat exchangers. Next, the acetaldehyde is washed out from the gas current in a
scrubber.
The residual gas mainly consisting of ethylene, oxygen, carbon dioxide and inert gas is recycled to the reactor,
after having removed part of this gas (in order to avoid an accumulation of carbon dioxide and inert gas) and after
having added fresh ethylene, conveyed to a two-stage distillation process.
In this process the low-boiling compounds (methyl chloride, ethyl chloride), and the dissolved gases such as
ethylene and carbon dioxide are obtained as the overhead. The bottom product is passed to the second distillation
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step, where pure acetaldehyde is obtained as the overhead product. A fraction containing mainly crotonaldehyde is
Comparing between single stage and two stage process:

 In The single-stage manufacture of acetaldehyde by direct oxidation of ethylene in the gaseous phase .

 In two stage process ethylene and oxygen (air) react in the liquid phase.

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2)Acetaldehyde from oxidation of Ethanol:

Where a) Compressor; b) Saturator; c) Reactor; d) Absorption column; e) Mixing condenser; 14

f) Acetaldehyde distillation column; g) Ethanol distillation column.

Desired reactions:
C2H5OH + ½ O2 → CH3CHO + H2O

C2H5OH → CH3CHO + H2

Undesired reactions:
C2H5OH + O2 → CH3COOH + H2O

C2H5OH + ½ O2 → CH4 + CO + H2O

C2H5OH + 2 O2 → 2 CO2 + 3 H2O

Thermodynamics & Kinetics of Reactions:

The overall reaction is exothermic and the temperature in the reactor is 550 °C, this is why cooling is required before
the absorption process.
 
Catalysts Used: 15

Silver catalyst is used for this process

Process Description:

This process is very similar to the (silver process) that is used to produce formaldehyde, the big difference is

that for acetaldehyde two distillation columns are required while for formaldehyde only one is required. Since

the process is oxidation, air is required. Ethanol is first heated then mixed with air in a saturator. The saturated

stream will contain ethanol saturated in air. After that the stream is overheated in order for it to be able to react

later in the reactor. After that comes the heart of this process, the reactor; the ethanol-saturated stream enters the

reaction and undergoes two main reactions and many other reactions that produce some by-products.

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The catalyst used is silver. The product stream will be very hot; therefore, the heat of this stream can be used •

to produce steam from water using a heat exchanger. Further cooling is required to prepare the stream to

enter the absorber, should be maintained at 2 ˚C. The bottom stream from the absorber is sent to a distillation

column to

separate acetaldehyde. The bottom of this distillation will contain ethanol, so another column is used to •

separate this ethanol

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Uses of Acetaldehyde:

About 95% of acetaldehyde is used as an intermediate for the production of other organic chemicals. Acetic acid

and acetic anhydride are the major derivatives of acetaldehyde followed by n-butanol and 2-ethylhexanol. Also it

can be used as an antiseptic inhalant nose troubles. for other derivatives of Acetaldehyde .

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 Acetic
acid
Acetaldehyde
Acetaldehyde
ammonia
ammonia Acetic
(a
(a rubber
rubber anhydride
accelerator)
accelerator)

Metaldehyde
Metaldehyde
Ethyl
Ethyl acetate
acetate
(solid
(solid fuel)
fuel)
acetaldehyde

Paraldehyde
Paraldehyde
(hypnotic)
chloral
(hypnotic)

1,3_butadien
butadien
Dyes and ee
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drugs (used in
rubbers)
Acetaldehyde (C2H4O) Uses :
 It was used as a precursor to acetic acid.
 It is used as a precursor to pyridine derivatives, crotonaldehyde, and pentaerythritol.
 Used in the manufacturing of resin.
 It is used to produce polyvinyl acetate.
 It is used in the manufacturing of disinfectants, perfumes, and drugs

 It is used in the production of chemicals such as acetic acid,

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Application of Acetaldehyde:
Acetaldehyde is a common raw material in the organic chemical industry Acetaldehyde has a wide range of
applications and is a raw material in the manufacture of many everyday products, such as paint binders,
plasticizer’s and super absorbents in baby nappies.

Acetaldehyde is also used in the manufacture of various types of building materials, fire protection paints,
synthetic lubricants and explosives. In the pharmaceutical industry, it is used, among other things, in the
manufacture of vitamins, sleeping aids and sedatives. Acetaldehyde is also often used as a base when producing
acetic acid, which is also a basic chemical with many uses.

In the food industry, Acetaldehyde is used in the manufacture of preservatives and flavoring’s and occurs
naturally in fruit and fruit juices. Acetaldehyde arises naturally during fermentation and is found in low levels in
foodstuffs such as milk products, soy products, pickled vegetables and non-alcoholic beverages .

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Reference
 https://studylib.net/doc/6729387/commercial-processes-for-the-production-of-acetaldehyde?fbclid=IwAR3Y3ny4OWbN
ZI6SA70rVTCHksK580BXcrEMDP9lTs5wc07uXn0GBwGpLAs

 https://www.definitions.net/definition/acetaldehyde?fbclid=IwAR1Xkjl18NlJo7oTKeui5atOuryq8UePDjXq8_4-uzyekvy
Pk2wLY3zdLpw

 https://www.chemistryworld.com/podcasts/acetaldehyde/6997.article?fbclid=IwAR2kPz7EKrbcd4obFh70KZR2QacGa2
VrlA7pHZXiQ_jpLP5jMcVd5mirngI

 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14356007.a01_031?fbclid=IwAR2kPz7EKrbcd4obFh70KZR2QacGa2VrlA7
pHZXiQ_jpLP5jMcVd5mirngI
 https://www.britannica.com/science/acetaldehyde?fbclid=IwAR04jW0Vp515GbZi_byJPJINGnB5FkZYecl2yu1NwK
SyxPvd7yUba9RWkXI
 https://www.softschools.com/formulas/chemistry/acetaldehyde_formula/415/?fbclid=IwAR3bM4DncX99XOyQCLt
WMvNTdW_eVkwATejPn6NWzNM2TBQUoNLKATXCUgQ 22
 https://www.toppr.com/guides/chemistry-formulas/acetaldehyde-formula/?fbclid=IwAR1MP3Nv8yp2QNl8VJlzoBSCL
bUZ-Poo0Jg3Rq8LxSxFQPM3W6a05oJUfnY
 http://www.ugr.es/~tep028/pqi/descargas/Industria%20quimica%20organica/tema_5/acetaldehido_a01_031.pdf?fbclid=I
wAR0STslvgu_jcXVPJ8CFyNEwcv55CczT2LRR3liqVDF7OcUcTT8EUpbtb_0

 https://www.sekab.com/en/products services/product/acetaldehyde/?fbclid=IwAR2FFu120rq0g71X1FalBrXihrpzGUCw
IF2SUKleS6_QYpLCDVCLM8qzlxI

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