Patent ID: 8314272

Claim:
A process for recovering ethanol, comprising: hydrogenating an acetic acid feed stream with excess hydrogen in a reactor 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 flasher into a first vapor stream and an intermediate stream, wherein the first flasher is operated at a pressure ranging from 50 kPa to 5000 kPa; separating at least a portion of the intermediate stream in a second flasher into a second vapor stream and a liquid stream, wherein the second flasher is operated at a pressure ranging from 0.1 kPa to 1000 kPa; and recovering ethanol from the liquid stream; wherein the second vapor stream comprises hydrogen and hydrocarbons and further wherein the liquid stream comprises substantially no hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methane or ethane; and further wherein the first flasher is operated at higher pressure than the second flasher.