Recovered-carbon-dioxide purifying method and methionine manufacturing method including recovered-carbon-dioxide purifying step

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for purifying carbon dioxide gas characterized in that carbon dioxide gas containing at least one of 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde and acrolein is contacted with activated carbon to remove at least one of the 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde and acrolein. The present invention provides also a method for producing methionine comprising the purification step of the recovered carbon dioxide.

Claims

1. A method for producing methionine comprising the following steps: A. a step of reacting methyl mercaptan with acrolein to obtain 3-methyl mercaptopropionaldehyde; B. a step of reacting the 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde with hydrocyanic acid (hydrogen cyanide) to obtain 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde cyanohydrin; C. a step of reacting the 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde cyanohydrin with carbon dioxide and ammonia or ammonium carbonate to obtain 5-(2-methylmercaptoethyl)hydantoin; D. a step of hydrolyzing the 5-(2-methylmercaptoethyl)hydantoin in the presence of an alkali compound to obtain a reaction solution containing an alkali salt of methionine; and, E. a step of introducing carbon dioxide into the reaction solution containing the alkali salt of methionine, precipitating methionine, and separating the precipitated methionine, and further comprising at least one of 1) a step of recovering carbon dioxide gas used in an excess amount in the step C and 2) a step of recovering carbon dioxide gas generated in the step D, wherein the recovered carbon dioxide gas contains at least one of acrolein that remains unreacted in the step A and 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde that remains unreacted in the step B, and further comprising a step of contacting the recovered carbon dioxide gas with an activated carbon, and purifying the recovered carbon dioxide gas by removing at least one of the 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde and the acrolein.

2. The method for producing methionine according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises both the step of recovering the carbon dioxide gas used in excess amount in the step C and a step of recovering the carbon dioxide gas generated in the step D.

3. The method for producing methionine according to claim 2, wherein the recovered carbon dioxide gas used in excess amount in the step C and the recovered carbon dioxide gas generated in the step D are mixed and the mixed recovered carbon dioxide gas is contacted with the activated carbon.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 indicates a flowchart of the purification method of the recovered carbon dioxide according to the embodiment as described herein.

(2) FIG. 2 indicates an explanatory drawing of schematic constitution of the purification test apparatus in the purification method using activated carbon.

(3) FIG. 3 indicates an explanatory drawing of schematic constitution of the purification test apparatus in the purification method using water.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(4) Hereinafter, an embodiment of the method of the present application will be described by indicating examples.

(5) Firstly, a method for producing methionine is explained.

(6) Methionine is produced usually by a production method comprising the following steps.

(7) A. M-aldehyde step: a step of reacting MM with ACR to obtain M-aldehyde;

(8) B. Cyanhydrin step: a step of reacting the M-aldehyde with hydrocyanic acid (hydrogen cyanide) to obtain 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde cyanohydrin (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “MCH”);

(9) C. Hydantoin step: a step of reacting the MCH with carbon dioxide and ammonia (or ammonium carbonate) to obtain 5-(2-methylmercaptoethyl)hydantoin;

(10) D. Hydrolysis reaction step: a step of hydrolyzing the 5-(2-methylmercaptoethyl)hydantoin in the presence of an alkali compound to obtain a reaction solution containing an alkali salt of methionine; and

(11) E. Crystallization step: a step of introducing carbon dioxide into the reaction solution, thereby precipitating methionine, and separating the precipitated methionine to obtain methionine.

(12) Through the above steps A to E, methionine can be obtained industrially. The chemical reaction in each step can be expressed by the following chemical scheme.

(13) A. M-Aldehyde Step

(14) ##STR00001##
B. Cyanhydrin Step

(15) ##STR00002##
C. Hydantoin Step

(16) ##STR00003##
D. Hydrolysis Reaction Step

(17) ##STR00004##
E. Crystallization Step

(18) ##STR00005##
[(1) Hydantoin Step]

(19) The hydantoin step is a step in which MCH forms a hydantoin with carbon dioxide and ammonia to obtain 5-(2-methylmercaptoethyl)hydantoin. The carbon dioxide and ammonia sources used in the hydantoin step may be those usually used, and an excess of the theoretical amount, preferably 1 to 4 moles of carbon dioxide and ammonia per mole of MCH is used. Also, ammonium carbonate or ammonium bicarbonate may be used instead of the combination of carbon dioxide and ammonia. A general condition such as a reaction temperature of about 60 to 85° C. and a residence time of about 3 to 6 hours are used.

(20) FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of a method for purifying recovered carbon dioxide gas according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, carbon dioxide is obtained by recovering carbon dioxide that is used in excess amount in the hydantoin step or carbon dioxide that is generated by decomposition of ammonium carbonate. The recovered carbon dioxide contains ACR that is remained unreacted in the M-aldehyde step, which is the previous step of the hydantoin step, and M-aldehyde that is remained unreacted in the cyanohydrin step.

(21) [(2) Hydrolysis Reaction Step]

(22) The hydrolysis reaction step is a step of obtaining a reaction solution by hydrolyzing 5-(2-methylmercaptoethyl)hydantoin in the presence of an alkali compound. Examples of the alkali compound used in this reaction step include potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, potassium hydrogen carbonate and the like, and two or more of them can be also used if necessary. The amount of the alkali compound used is usually 2 to 10 mol, preferably 3 to 6 mol as potassium or sodium per mol of 5-(2-methylmercaptoethyl)hydantoin. Also the amount of water used is usually 2 to 20 parts by weight per part by weight of 5-(2-methylmercaptoethyl)hydantoin.

(23) The hydrolysis reaction conducted in the hydrolysis reaction step is a stirring type or a non-stirring type, and is conducted in a continuous type or batch type reactor.

(24) This hydrolysis reaction is preferably carried out by heating to about 150 to 200° C. under pressurized pressure of about 0.5 to 1 MPa as a gauge pressure. The reaction period is usually 10 minutes to 24 hours.

(25) As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the recovered carbon dioxide gas is obtained by recovering the gas generated in the hydrolysis reaction step. The recovered carbon dioxide gas contains ACR and M-aldehyde.

(26) [(3) Crystallization Step]

(27) In the crystallization step, the reaction solution obtained in the hydrolysis reaction step is allowed to flow into the crystallization apparatus, carbon dioxide is introduced into the reaction solution, and a crystallization is conducted in the reaction solution to obtain methionine precipitates. In this reaction, carbon dioxide is absorbed into the hydrolysis reaction solution by introduction of carbon dioxide, and the alkali salt of methionine is precipitated as free methionine.

(28) [Purification of Recovered Carbon Dioxide]

(29) The recovered carbon dioxide gas obtained in the (1) hydantoin step and (2) hydrolysis reaction step contains ACR and M-aldehyde. These are removed using activated carbon. As shown in FIG. 1, the recovered carbon dioxide gas obtained in (1) the hydantoin step and (2) the hydrolysis reaction step can be also mixed. In this case, it flows into a M-aldehyde removal apparatus through one transport pipe and is purified. The removal apparatus for M-aldehyde, etc. is provided with a packed tower filled with activated carbon. The filling rate of activated carbon is usually 0.3 g/mL or more and 1.0 g/mL or less, preferably 0.35 g/mL or more and 0.6 g/mL or less. The number of the packed towers may be one or two or more, however the following description is an explanation when two packed towers are provided in parallel. Two packed towers provided in parallel (the two packed towers are referred to as “first packed tower” and “second packed tower”) are used alternately without interrupting the purification action, thereby M-aldehyde and the like is removed, so that the recovered carbon dioxide is purified. Specifically, the recovered carbon dioxide gas is flowed into the first packed column of the two packed columns to remove M-aldehyde and the like. The conditions for flowing the recovered carbon dioxide gas into the packed tower are preferably that the flow rate is 0.03 m/s or more and 0.2 m/s or less as linear velocity, and the pressure is −0.01 MPa or more and 0.5 MPa or less as gauge pressure. At this time, in the second packed tower, the adsorption ability of the activated carbon is recovered by removing M-aldehyde and the like that is adsorbed on the activated carbon. When the adsorption capacity of the activated carbon is recovered in the second packed tower, the recovered carbon dioxide gas is allowed to flow into the second packed tower, and the adsorption capacity of the activated carbon for the first packed tower is recovered. Accordingly, in the case of two packed towers, they can be also used alternately. Though the case of two packed towers is explained, similarly in the case of three or more packed towers, any packed towers which are not used for removal M-aldehyde and the like in the recovered carbon dioxide is recovered its adsorption capacity during not used in the purification. Accordingly, when a plural of packed columns with activated carbon are set, M-aldehyde and the like in the recovered carbon dioxide gas can be removed continuously by conducting adsorption and desorption in parallel.

(30) In order to recover the adsorption capacity of the activated carbon, an inert gas is circulated in the packed tower. Examples of the inert gas include nitrogen, argon, and helium. The operating pressure and temperature at this time depend on the vapor pressure of the substance to be desorbed from the activated carbon, but preferably from vacuum to atmospheric pressure, and the operating temperature is from 10° C. to the boiling point of the substance to be desorbed at the desorption operating pressure, or more.

(31) In the apparatus for removing M-aldehyde or the like, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the recovered carbon dioxide gas immediately before entering the packed column filled with activated carbon is preferably 70 volume % or more and 99.99 volume % or less. Due to such a component constitution, M-aldehyde and the like in the recovered carbon dioxide gas can be removed more appropriately, and also the carbon dioxide gas can be used as it is after purification in the crystallization step.

(32) Also, in the M-aldehyde removal apparatus, the pressure of the recovered carbon dioxide gas immediately before entering the packed tower filled with activated carbon is preferably −0.01 MPa or more and 0.5 MPa or less as gauge pressure. Since it is not necessary to carry out at a high pressure as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the cost of production apparatus can be suppressed. An adsorption of M-aldehyde or the like on activated carbon is sufficiently achieved by setting the pressure to −0.01 MPa or more, and an introduction of the recovered carbon dioxide gas from the hydantoin step or the hydrolysis reaction step can be easily performed by setting the pressure to 0.5 MPa or less.

(33) The activated carbon material is preferably derived from natural products. For example, wood and coconut shells are preferably raw materials.

(34) The average particle size of the activated carbon is preferably 0.1 mm or more and 5.0 mm or less. By setting in this range, the adsorption performance of M-aldehyde and the like can be maintained. If it is smaller than this range, the pressure drop in the packed tower becomes large, which becomes disadvantageous. The average particle diameter is a 50% particle diameter (D50) described by JIS K1474, and can be measured by the method described in this standard. Also, the specific surface area is preferably 1000 m.sup.2/g or more and 1800 m.sup.2/g or less. Also the total pore volume is preferably 0.2 mL/g or more and 0.6 mL/g or less.

(35) Carbon dioxide after purification from which M-aldehyde and the like have been removed by the above-mentioned activated carbon can be introduced into the reaction solution in (3) crystallization step, and used for methionine precipitation. Since ACR and M-aldehyde is not contained in carbon dioxide after the purification, it is possible to obtain methionine with high purity.

EXAMPLES

(36) Next, examples of the present invention are shown below, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Example

(37) FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a schematic constitution of a purification test apparatus 10 for conducting out a purification method using activated carbon. The purification test apparatus 10 is provided with one packed column 11, and supplied with the recovered carbon dioxide obtained in the (1) hydantoin step and (2) hydrolysis reaction step from the left side on the paper surface of FIG. 2. The supplied recovered carbon dioxide passes through the packed tower 11 filled with activated carbon, and then passes through the flow meter 12. The capacity of the packed tower 11 was 44 mL, and the filled amount of activated carbon was 22.3 g. The flow rate of the recovered carbon dioxide to be passed is adjusted by a valve provided at each location of the purification test apparatus 10, and the flow rate is measured by the flow meter 12. The component amount of the recovered carbon dioxide before and after passing through the packed tower 11 is separately measured with a gas component measuring device. Table 1 shows the measured gas flow rate, gas pressure, and the amount of components of the recovered carbon dioxide before passing through activated carbon. Also, the material of activated carbon used was coconut shell, and the average particle size was 3.56 mm, the specific surface area was 1200 m.sup.2/g, and the total pore volume was 0.55 mL/g.

(38) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Gas Component Amount Flow Gas M- Rate Pressure CO.sub.2 N.sub.2 MM ACR aldehyde L/ MPaG Vol % Vol % Vol .Math. ppm Vol .Math. ppm Vol .Math. ppm min 4.0 0.005 82 18 2050 115 205

(39) Also, Table 2 shows the measured result of the concentration of ACR and M-aldehyde at 10 minutes and 120 minutes as an elapsed time after the start of supply (that is, operating time) when the recovered carbon dioxide is supplied continuously to the purification test apparatus 10. The symbol of “N.D.” in the table indicates that measurement cannot be performed, that is, the concentration has not been reached the minimum unit that can be measured by the measuring instrument used in this example. From this result, it was possible to purify carbon dioxide containing ACR and M-aldehyde under low pressure by the method for purifying recovered carbon dioxide in the present embodiment.

(40) TABLE-US-00002 Operation Time 10 120 ACR Vol .Math. ppm N.D. N.D. M-aldehyde Vol .Math. ppm N.D. N.D.

Comparative Example

(41) FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a schematic constitution of a purification test apparatus 30 for conducting out a purification method using water instead of activated carbon. The purification test apparatus 30 is provided with one gas-liquid mixing tower 31, and the recovered carbon dioxide obtained in (1) the hydantoin process and (2) the hydrolysis reaction process is supplied from the lower left side on the paper surface of FIG. 3. The supplied recovered carbon dioxide passes through the gas-liquid mixing tower 31 and then passes through the flow meter 32. The flow rate of the recovered carbon dioxide to be passed is measured by the flow meter 32. Also the water that flows into the gas-liquid mixing tower 31 is pure water, and flows into the gas-liquid mixing tower 31 from the upper left side on the paper surface of FIG. 3 via valve 34. The component amount of the recovered carbon dioxide before and after passing through the gas-liquid mixing tower 31 is separately measured by a gas component measuring device. Table 3 shows the measured gas flow rate, gas pressure, and the component amount of the recovered carbon dioxide before passing through the gas-liquid mixing tower 31.

(42) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Gas Component Amount Flow Gas M- Rate Pressure CO.sub.2 N.sub.2 MM ACR aldehyde L/ MPaG Vol % Vol % Vol .Math. ppm Vol .Math. ppm Vol .Math. ppm min 4.0 0.005 82 18 2200 150 130

(43) Also table 4 shows the results when the recovered carbon dioxide was continuously supplied to the washing test apparatus 30. The ratio of gas-liquid mixing represents the amount of the recovered carbon dioxide supplied per weight of supplied water. From this result, it can be found that when the recovered carbon dioxide of this embodiment is purified with water under low pressure, M-aldehyde can be removed, but ACR is not completely removed, and it can be thus understood that a complete removal is difficult.

(44) TABLE-US-00004 Ratio of gas-liquid (L/G) [wt/wt] 5 ACR Vol .Math. ppm 20 M-aldehyde Vol .Math. ppm N.D.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(45) The purification method of the present invention can be applied regardless of the production of methionine as long as the target to be purified is a recovered carbon dioxide containing any one of M-aldehyde and ACR.

EXPLANATION OF SYMBOL

(46) 10, 30 Purification test apparatus 11 Packed tower 12, 32 Flowmeter 31 Gas-liquid mixing tower 34 Valve