Patent ID: 9051238
Filing Date: 2015-06-09
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
1. A process for recovering ethanol, comprising: hydrogenating an acetic acid feed stream in the presence of a catalyst to form a crude ethanol product; separating at least a portion of the crude ethanol product in a first column into a first distillate comprising ethanol and water, and a first residue comprising less than 30 wt. % water, based on the total weight of the first residue; introducing at least a portion of the first distillate in a second column and recovering a second residue comprising ethanol and water; separating at least a portion of the second residue in a third column into a third distillate comprising ethanol and a third residue comprising water; and directly or indirectly returning at least a portion of the first residue to a reactor for the hydrogenation of acetic acid.