Patent ID: 9409848
Filing Date: 2016-08-09
CPC Classification: B01D,C07C

Claim Text:
1. A process for producing acetic acid comprising: reacting methanol with carbon monoxide in a reactor in the presence of a reaction medium comprising a metal catalyst, water, an ionic iodide, methyl iodide, and methyl acetate, wherein the concentration of the metal catalyst is from 200 to 2000 ppm, the concentration of water is from 0.1 to 14 wt. %, the concentration of ionic iodide is from 2 to 20 wt. %, the concentration of methyl iodide is from 5 to 20 wt. %, and the concentration of methyl acetate is from 2 to 20 wt. %, flashing a portion of the reaction medium to yield a crude acetic acid composition and recycled catalyst solution; separating the crude acetic acid composition in a light ends column into an acetic acid stream and a low-boiling overhead vapor stream comprising one or more permanganate reducing compounds (PRC's); separating a portion of the low-boiling overhead vapor stream into an overhead stream and a bottoms stream, wherein the overhead stream is enriched in the one or more PRC's as compared to the bottoms stream; and directing a first return stream comprising at least a portion of the bottoms stream to the top of the light ends column.