Patent ID: 6605192
Filing Date: 2003-08-12
Classification: C07C,Y10S

Abstract:
In a process for the distillative recovery of monoethylene glycol from the hydrolysis product of ethylene oxide which comprises(a) a pressure dewatering stage which is conducted in: one pressure dewatering column or a battery of pressure dewatering columns, wherein the hydrolysis product is fed to the one, or to a first of the battery of, pressure dewatering column(s) at a feeding point between the head and the base of said pressure dewatering column, (b) a subsequent vacuum dewatering stage, and (c) a purifying distillation of the dewatered monoethylene glycol recovered from the vacuum dewatering stage, the improvement which comprises: withdrawing an aqueous stream which comprises monoethylene glycol in a concentration below 1% by weight, and additionally medium boilers and low boilers, either i) as a side stream from a single vacuum dewatering column which is utilized in stage (b), or ii) as an overhead stream from a second of two vacuum dewatering columns which are utilized in stage (b), and, optionally after further workup, removing the withdrawn stream from the process.