Patent ID: 8076508
Filing Date: 2011-12-13
Classification: B01D,C07C

Abstract:
1. A process for producing acetic acid, comprising: (a) carbonylating methanol in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst to form a reaction mixture; (b) flashing and distilling the reaction mixture in a flash tank equipped with a distillation column to form a liquid stream comprising the catalyst at the bottom of the flash tank and a vapor stream at the top of the distillation column; and (c) recycling the liquid stream to step (a), wherein the vapor stream is distilled in a light-ends distillation column to form a bottom stream, a crude acetic acid stream, and an overhead vapor stream, the overhead vapor stream is condensed and separated into a light phase and a heavy phase, and a fraction of the light phase is introduced to the top of the flash tank distillation column and a liquid stream is taken from the bottom of the flash tank distillation column and sent to the top of the light-ends distillation column.