近年來為因應全球碳中和趨勢與工業 4.0 轉型，許多精細化學品、生技製藥等產業興起促進半批次製程建廠需求。然而，現今半批次製程在生產效率與操作穩定性方面，相較過往並無顯著提升。究其原因，主要為製程架構並未獲得升級。因此，開發具有類似連續生產特性的新型半批次製程，進而提升生產效率與操作穩定性，成為本研究主要目標。
本研究針對轉酯化量產水性紫外光固化樹脂製程為主要探討程序。此類樹脂的反應系統具有高沸點成分、反應時間較長與反應平衡常數過小等特性，故只能採用半批次反應器生產。此外，生產過程中由於反應溫度高於反應物沸點，加上系統存在共沸物等影響，導致反應期間需純化與回收反應物，並通過回流至反應器的方式，確保反應持續往目標產物端進行。本研究依製程需求選用 14 種成分進行建模，由於部分成分缺少熱力學參數紀錄，故藉由 Aspen Plus® 內建之物性常數估算系統與網頁版熱力學計算機估算所需參數。動力學方面，經實驗結果發現於半批次反應操作下，能以偽二級不可逆反應動力式描述轉酯化反應。待熱力學與動力學模型皆驗證完畢後，使用 Aspen Plus® 建立模擬所需單元並於 Aspen Plus DynamicsTM 整合各單元建立整廠模型。
透過半批次反應器彼此卸料與填料時間相互交疊的循環操作策略可減少閒置時間仿造出連續生產的情境，反應器氣相出料於該策略下形成連續式物流，使後端分離程序不再受到半批次反應器啟動和終止而連帶開俥與停俥。模擬結果顯示，連續式分離程序純化後的反應物與副產物純度皆高於 99.5 wt%。生產過程中，持續將副產物從製程移除而反應物與目標產物則迴流至反應器，確保反應持續往目標產物端進行。另外，於反應器卸料前加入升溫步驟去除反應溶液中低沸點成分，降低後續產品純化難度。最終，反應溶液中水性紫外光固化樹脂純度合計高達 90 wt% 以上。該製程相較過往半批次製程具有類似連續式生產的特性，且分離共沸物與回收剩餘反應物和目標產物的能力可增加該製程應用範圍。

In recent years, in response to the global carbon neutrality trend and the Industry 4.0 transformation, the emergence of industries such as fine chemicals and biopharmaceuticals has stimulated the demand for establishing facilities for semi-batch processes. However, the current semi-batch processes have not shown significant improvement in terms of production efficiency and operational stability compared to the past. The primary reason lies in the lack of upgrades in the process architecture. Therefore, developing a new type of semi-batch process with characteristics resembling continuous production to enhance production efficiency and operational stability has become the main objective of this study.
This study focuses on the process of producing water-based UV-curable resins through transesterification in large quantities. The reaction system of such resins includes characteristics like high boiling point components, longer reaction times, and excessively small reaction equilibrium constants, necessitating production through semi-batch reactors. Furthermore, due to the reaction temperature being higher than the boiling point of reactants and the presence of azeotropes in the system, it leads to the purification and recovery of reactants during the reaction period. This is ensured by recycling back into the reactor to ensure continuous progression toward the desired product. For this study, 14 components were selected for modeling based on process requirements. As some components lack thermodynamic parameter records, Aspen Plus®'s built-in physical property estimation system and a web-based thermodynamic calculator were used to estimate the required parameters.
Regarding kinetics, experimental results reveal that transesterification reactions can be described by a pseudo-second-order irreversible reaction kinetics equation under semi-batch reaction operations. Once both thermodynamic and kinetic models were verified, Aspen Plus® was utilized to establish simulation units and integrate them using Aspen Plus DynamicsTM to form the entire plant model.
By employing a cyclic operational strategy where unloading and loading times of semi-batch reactors overlap, idle time is reduced, mimicking a scenario of continuous production. The gas-phase reactor outlet forms a continuous flow under this strategy, allowing the downstream separation process not to be affected by the starting and stopping of semi-batch reactors. Simulation results demonstrate that the purified products from the continuous separation process exhibit purities exceeding 99.5 wt% for both reactants and by-products. Throughout the production process, continual removal of by-products from the process occurs while reactants and target products are recycled back into the reactor, ensuring continuous progression towards the desired products. Additionally, introducing a temperature increase step before unloading the reactor removes low boiling point components from the reaction solution, reducing the difficulty of subsequent product purification. Finally, the combined purity of water-based UV-curable resin in the reaction solution exceeds 90 wt%. Compared to previous semi-batch processes, this process exhibits characteristics similar to continuous production, and its ability to separate azeotropes and recover residual reactants and target products expands the application range of this process.

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