Cumene Oxidation Process Intensification in a Countercurrent Microbubble Column Reactor

Cumene oxidation process, as a vital industrial reaction for the production of phenol and acetone, faces several significant challenges including a huge reactor volume, high safety risk, and substantial VOC (volatile organic compounds) emission. This work identifies the underlying reasons for large bubble sizes and broad bubble size distributions within conventional bubble reactors. To address these challenges, we proposed a novel process intensification strategy using a countercurrent microbubble column reactor. First, the necessity of a countercurrent flow mode has been demonstrated by the prediction with the established kinetic model, showing that the selectivity could increase about 2% under countercurrent flow. Subsequently, the countercurrent microbubble-based reaction process has been studied and optimized, and a space–time yield 6–7 times higher than current industrial benchmarks was achieved. Crucially, the performance enhancement mechanism was explained by a reduction in bubble size and a narrower bubble size distribution. Finally, the improved inherent safety and environmental sustainability, as reflected in the green chemistry profile of the novel process, are demonstrated.