Removal of aldehydes in acetic acid production

A method for removing acetaldehyde from an acetic acid system, comprising:

• providing from the acetic acid system a light-ends stream, comprising carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, acetaldehyde, methyl iodide, methyl acetate, methanol, water, acetic acid, or mixtures thereof;
• condensing the light-ends stream in a flask vessel to form one or more liquid phase compositions and a vapor phase composition, wherein the one or more liquid phase compositions comprise a majority, based on a total weight of the light-ends stream, of the water and acetic acid, and the vapor phase composition comprises a majority, based on the total weight of the light-ends stream, of the carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide and a minor portion, based on the total weight of the light-ends stream, of the acetaldehyde, methyl iodide, water, and acetic acid;
• contacting the vapor phase composition with a solvent in an absorber to produce an absorber overhead vapor stream and an absorber bottoms liquid stream, wherein the absorber overhead vapor stream comprises carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and a first portion of the solvent, and the absorber bottoms liquid stream comprises methyl iodide, acetaldehyde, and a second portion of the solvent;
• and
• contacting a reactive feed stream in an acetaldehyde reactor, comprising the absorber bottoms liquid stream, and optionally a polyol compound, with an acid catalyst in to form a reacted stream comprising an aldehyde derivative, wherein the aldehyde derivative is formed by conversion of at least a portion of the acetaldehyde and has a higher boiling point than acetaldehyde.