Patent ID: 8729315

Claim:
A process for continuous or semi-continuous production of phenol from cumene, via cumene hydroperoxide (CHP), which comprises: a. producing CHP by the oxidation of cumene with a gas containing oxygen in an air lift reactor comprising: a1. a cylindrical structure equipped with lower and upper closing elements, said elements being respectively provided with means for feeding the reagents and means for discharging the reaction products (substantially CHP), vapours and non-reacted gas; a2. a second substantially cylindrical structure (downcomer), open at the ends (bases), inside and coaxial with the first structure; and a.3 a toroidal gas distributor situated at the base of the reactor around the second substantially cylindrical structure; the production of CHP being characterized in that the downcomer is provided with an upper and/or lower flaring so that the A1/A2 ratio, between the larger transversal section A1 and the smaller transversal section A2 of said flaring, ranges from 1.1 to 2; b. concentrating the solution containing CHP, discharged from the air lift reactor, to at least 70% by weight; c. producing phenol by acid cleaved reaction of CHP, in the presence of acetone, in a loop reactor where the reaction heat is recovered in two heat exchangers arranged in series in the cycle; the production of phenol being characterized in that the feedings of CHP and acetone are in pairs and each pair is positioned upstream of each exchanger.