Patent ID: 8704011
Filing Date: 2014-04-22
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
1. A process for producing ethanol, comprising the steps of: hydrogenating acetic acid from an acetic acid feed stream in a reactor to form a crude ethanol product comprising ethanol, ethyl acetate, water, and acetic acid; separating at least a portion of the crude ethanol product in a first column into a first distillate comprising ethanol and ethyl acetate and a first residue comprising water and acetic acid; and separating at least a portion of the first distillate in a second column into a second distillate comprising ethyl acetate and less than 30 wt. % ethanol and a second residue comprising ethanol and less than 100 wppm ethyl acetate, wherein a total concentration of water fed to the second column is less than 10 wt. %, based on the total weight of all components fed to the second column and wherein the second distillation column operates from 0.1 to 100 kPa.