Patent ID: 7586000

Claim:
An oxidation process for producing an oxidation product, said process comprising: (a) introducing a predominately liquid-phase feed stream comprising one or more oxidizable compounds into a reaction zone of a bubble column reactor, wherein acetaldehyde, para-xylene, and meta-xylene in combination make up less than 50 weight percent of said oxidizable compounds; (b) introducing a predominately gas-phase oxidant stream comprising molecular oxygen into said reaction zone; and (c) oxidizing at least a portion of said oxidizable compounds in a liquid phase of a three-phase reaction medium contained in said reaction zone, wherein said oxidizing of said oxidizable compounds causes at least 50 weight percent of said oxidizable compounds to form solids in said reaction medium, wherein said bubble column reactor defines a disengagement zone disposed immediately above said reaction zone, wherein said disengagement has a maximum horizontal cross-sectional area greater than the maximum horizontal cross-sectional area of said reaction zone, wherein said process includes spraying a liquid reflux stream downwardly in said disengagement zone via a reflux distributor.