Patent ID: 9636627
Date: 2017-05-02
CPC Classifications: B01D,C07C

Claim:
1. A method for recovering ethylene during a process for producing vinyl acetate, comprising the following steps: (a) introducing a stream of absorbent solution from an acetic acid tower during a rectification stage of vinyl acetate production; (b) delivering said stream of absorbent solution to an ethylene recovery tower which comprises a top, a bottom, a top section, and a lower section having a top location to which said stream of absorbent solution is delivered by a delivery pump to allow said stream of absorbent solution to precipitate towards said bottom of said ethylene recovery tower; (c) charging said ethylene recovery tower with a refined gas flow from said bottom of said ethylene recovery tower to bring said refined gas flow in contact with said stream of absorbent solution which is precipitating in a counter-current; (d) delivering said stream of absorbent solution precipitated in said bottom of said ethylene recovery tower to a rectification unit; (e) allowing said refined gas flow to continue to rise to said upper section of said ethylene recovery tower where said refined gas flow contacts with deionized water introduced from said top of said ethylene recovery tower in a counter-current so that acetic acid is absorbed and removed from said refined gas flow and so that said refined gas flow then contains residual insert gases; and discharging said refined gas flow containing residual insert gases from said top of said ethylene recovery tower.