Patent ID: 7465823

Claim:
An integrated process for the production of acetic acid and vinyl acetate comprising the steps: (a) producing in a first reaction zone a first product stream comprising acetic acid wherein the acetic acid is produced using an exothermic carbonylation reaction, and wherein at least a portion of the heat from the production of acetic acid is removed from the first reaction zone and at least a portion of the heat removed from the production of acetic acid is transferred in a heat transfer system; (b) contacting in a second reaction zone an acetic acid reaction stream comprised of at least a portion of the acetic acid from the first product stream with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a catalyst to produce a second product stream comprising vinyl acetate monomer; (c) directing at least a portion of the second product stream to a purification section for purifying vinyl acetate to purify at least a portion of the vinyl acetate in the second product stream; and (d) removing at least a portion of the heat transferred to the heat transfer system and providing at least a portion of the heat removed from the heat transfer system to at least one of the acetic acid reaction stream and the purification section for purifying vinyl acetate, and wherein the heat transfer system comprises a steam condensate stream, and wherein at least a portion of the heat removed from the production of acetic acid is transferred to the steam condensate stream which is used to provide heat removed from the production of acetic acid to at least one of the acetic acid reaction stream and the purification section for purifying vinyl acetate, wherein the stream condensate stream comprising the heat from the production of the acetic acid is transferred into a low pressure flash vessel maintained at a pressure of about 4.0 kg/cm 2 to about 5.3 kg/cm 2 .