Patent ID: 10442750

Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for producing vinyl acetate, said method being characterized in that a) the gaseous product mixture leaving the reactor is cooled to a temperature of 100° C. to 120° C. using one or more heat exchangers, b) the thus obtained product mixture is supplied to a distillation column which is equipped with filling elements (pre-dehydration column), c) the pre-dehydration column head product which substantially contains wafer, vinyl acetate, and ethylene is cooled, and the condensate (head product condensate) produced in the process is separated into a water phase and an organic phase (vinyl acetate phase), which substantially comprises vinyl acetate, in a phase separator, d) at least 99 wt. % of the acetic acid contained in the product mixture is separated via the bottom of the pre-dehydration column, and the head product of the pre-dehydration column contains <0.1 wt. % of acetic acid, measured in the water phase of the head product condensate, e) the ethyl acetate contained in the product mixture is separated via the bottom of the pre-dehydration column in such a quantity that the head product of the pre-dehydration column contains <600 wt. ppm ethyl acetate, measured in the vinyl acetate phase of the head product condensate, f) 70 to 100 wt. % of the vinyl acetate phase is recirculated into the pre-dehydration column, and g) a product mixture is drawn at the bottom of the pre-dehydration column, said product mixture containing 10 to 60 wt. % of vinyl acetate.