Patent ID: 9512056
Filing Date: 2016-12-06
CPC Classification: B01D,C07C,Y02P

Claim Text:
1. A process comprising: a. directing a methanol-containing feed stream and a carbon monoxide-containing feed stream into a liquid phase reaction medium of a carbonylation reactor in the presence of a catalyst, water, methyl iodide, methyl acetate, acetic acid, an iodide salt, and HI and carbonylating the reaction medium to produce acetic acid; directing a portion of the reaction medium into a flasher to produce a vapor product stream comprising acetic acid, water, methyl iodide, methyl acetate and at least one PRC, and a non-volatile stream comprising the catalyst and directing the non-volatile stream back into the reaction medium; b. directing the vapor product stream from the flasher into a first distillation column to produce a first overhead stream comprising methyl iodide, water, acetic acid, methyl acetate, and at least one PRC; and a crude acetic acid stream as a side stream and directing a second column feed stream comprising or derived from the first overhead stream and comprising methyl iodide, water, acetic acid, methyl acetate, and at least one PRC to a second distillation column comprising a distillation zone and a bottom sump zone; c. distilling the second column feed stream at a pressure and a temperature sufficient to produce a second column overhead stream comprising methyl iodide and at least one PRC, and a second column residuum stream flowing from the bottom sump zone comprising water and greater than or equal to about 0.11 weight percent HI.