Thermal runaway reaction evaluation of two by-products mixed with cumene hydroperoxide in the oxidation tower

Oxygen (O2) or air is widely used to produce cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) in the cumene oxidation tower. The aim of this study was applied to analyze thermal hazard of two by-products including alpha-methylstyrene (AMS) and acetophenone (AP) in a CHP oxidation tower. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG) were operated to evaluate thermal runaway reaction of CHP mixed with AMS and AP. Exothermic onset temperature (T0), maximum temperature (Tmax), activation energy (Ea), etc., that were employed to prevent and protect thermal runaway reaction and explosion in the manufacturing process and storage area. In view of proactive loss prevention, the inherently safer handling procedure and storage situation should be maintained in the chemical industries. The T0 of 30 mass% CHP was determined to be 105 °C by DSC. Therefore, the T0 of 30 mass% CHP mixed with AMS was determined to be 60–70 °C by DSC. The exothermic reaction of CHP/AP and CHP/AMS by DSC under N2 reaction gas is thermal decomposition of oxygen–oxygen bond (–O–O–) because of the anaerobic reaction.