Patent ID: 6033635
Filing Date: 2000-03-07
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
A system for preparing a relatively high-purity bisphenol A product from an adduct solid while inhibiting decomposition of bisphenol A, the adduct solid comprising at least about 25 weight percent phenol, the system comprising:a) a first solidification system producing a bisphenol A adduct solid from a first mixture of bisphenol A and phenol during use, the adduct solid comprising at least about 25 weight percent phenol, and the first solidification system operating at a temperature below 150.degree. C.;b) a first recovery system separating at least a portion of the adduct solid from the first mixture during use, the first recovery system operating at a temperature below 150.degree. C.;c) a mixing system heating water to a temperature less than about 150.degree. C. during use, and mixing the adduct solid with the heated water during use to form a first solution comprising bisphenol A, water, and phenol;d) a separation column adapted to reduce the concentration of phenol in the first solution and produce a second solution comprising bisphenol A and less than about 1 weight percent phenol during use, the column comprising an overhead outlet near the top of the column, a bottoms outlet near the bottom of the column, and a feed inlet between the overhead outlet and the bottoms outlet, and the column operating at a temperature below about 150.degree. C. during use;e) a second solidification system adapted to produce a bisphenol A product from the second solution during use, the second solidification system operating at a temperature below about 150.degree. C. during use; andf) a second recovery system adapted to separate at least a portion of the bisphenol A product from the second solution during use, the separated portion comprising at least about 99 weight percent bisphenol A, the second recovery system operating at a temperature below about 150.degree. C. during use.