Production of Acetic Acid with High Conversion Rate

A process for producing acetic acid, comprising

• (a) reacting a carbon monoxide feed comprising
• (i) less than 99.5 mol % carbon monoxide and
• (ii) at least one of methanol and a methanol derivative
• in a first reactor under conditions effective to produce a crude acetic acid product;
• (b) separating the crude acetic acid product into at least one derivative stream, at least one of the at least one derivative stream comprising residual carbon monoxide;
• and
• (c) reacting at least a portion of the residual carbon monoxide and at least one of methanol and a methanol derivative in a second reactor under conditions effective to produce additional acetic acid.

A process for producing acetic acid, comprising

• (a) reacting a carbon monoxide feed comprising:
• (i) less than 99.5 wt % carbon monoxide and
• (ii) at least one of methanol and a methanol derivative
• in a first reactor under conditions effective to produce a crude acetic acid product;
• (b) withdrawing from the first reactor a purge stream comprising impurities and a first amount of residual carbon monoxide;
• (c) separating the crude acetic acid product into at least one derivative stream, at least one of the at least one derivative stream comprising as second amount of residual carbon monoxide;
• and
• (d) reacting the first and second amounts of residual carbon monoxide and at least one of methanol and a methanol derivative in a second reactor under conditions effective to produce additional acetic acid.