Multiple Vapor Feeds for Hydrogenation Process to Produce Alcohol
AssigneeCelanese International Corporation
InventorsRadmila Wollrab, Victor Johnston
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to processes for the recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. The crude ethanol product is separated in a column to produce a distillate stream comprising ethyl acetate, ethanol and acetaldehyde and a residue stream comprising ethanol, acetic acid and water. The ethanol product is recovered from the residue stream. A liquid recycle stream is sent to a second vaporizer to form a second vapor feed stream that is fed to the hydrogenation reactor.
Claims22
A process for producing ethanol, comprising:
- vaporizing an acetic acid stream in a first vaporizer to form a first feed stream;
- reacting the first feed stream in at least one reactor in the presence of a catalyst to form a crude ethanol product;
- separating at least a portion of the crude ethanol product in one or more columns to produce ethanol and a liquid recycle stream;
- and
- vaporizing the liquid recycle stream in a second vaporizer to form a second feed stream that is fed to the at least one reactor.
A process for producing ethanol, comprising:
- vaporizing an acetic acid stream in a first vaporizer to form a first feed stream;
- reacting the first feed stream in at least one reactor in the presence of a catalyst to form a crude ethanol product;
- separating at least a portion of the crude ethanol product in a first distillation column to yield a first residue comprising acetic acid and a first distillate comprising ethanol, ethyl acetate, and water;
- separating a portion of the first distillate in the second distillation column to yield a second residue comprising ethanol and water and a second distillate comprising ethyl acetate;
- and
- vaporizing the second distillate in a second vaporizer to form a second feed stream that is fed to the at least one reactor.
A process for producing ethanol, comprising:
- vaporizing an acetic acid stream in a first vaporizer to form a first feed stream;
- reacting the first feed stream in at least one reactor in the presence of a catalyst to form a crude ethanol product;
- separating at least a portion of the crude ethanol product in a first distillation column to yield a first residue comprising acetic acid and a first distillate comprising ethanol, ethyl acetate, and water;
- removing water from at least a portion of the first distillate to yield an ethanol mixture stream comprising less than 10 wt. % water;
- separating a portion of the ethanol mixture stream in a second distillation column to yield a second residue comprising ethanol and a second distillate comprising ethyl acetate;
- and
- vaporizing the second distillate in a second vaporizer to form a second feed stream that is fed to the at least one reactor.
A process for producing ethanol, comprising:
- vaporizing an acetic acid stream in a first vaporizer to form a first feed stream;
- reacting the first feed stream in at least one reactor in the presence of a catalyst to form a crude ethanol product;
- separating a portion of the crude ethanol product in a first distillation column to yield a first distillate comprising ethyl acetate and acetaldehyde, and a first residue comprising ethanol, acetic acid, water, or mixtures thereof;
- separating a portion of the first residue in a second distillation column to yield a second residue comprising acetic acid and water and a second distillate comprising ethanol and ethyl acetate;
- separating a portion of the second distillate in a third distillation column to yield a third residue comprising ethanol and a third distillate comprising ethyl acetate;
- and
- vaporizing at least one of the first distillate or third distillate in a second vaporizer to form a second feed stream that is fed to the at least one reactor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.