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US 2013/0172632 A1Published application
Process for Promoting Catalyst Activity for Ethyl Acetate Conversion
AssigneeCelanese International Corporation
InventorsRadmila Wollrab, Zhenhua Zhou, Victor J. Johnston, David Lee, Heiko Weiner
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Abstract
The process of the current invention relates to the production of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid and ethyl acetate in the presence of a catalyst. Conversion of ethyl acetate may be improved by adding water to the reactor. At least 0.01 wt. % water may be added to the reactor. The crude ethanol product is separated in one or more columns to yield an ethanol product.
Claims22
A process for producing ethanol, comprising:
- hydrogenating a feed stream in a reactor in the presence of a catalyst to form a crude ethanol product;
- separating at least a portion of the crude ethanol product in two or more columns to produce ethanol and a liquid recycle stream comprising ethyl acetate, wherein the feed stream is produced by combining an acetic acid stream and a liquid recycle stream;
- determining ethyl acetate concentration in the crude ethanol product;
- and
- adding at least 0.01 wt. % water to the feed stream for maintaining an ethyl acetate conversion of greater than 0%, when the ethyl acetate concentration of the crude ethanol product is greater than the ethyl acetate concentration of the feed stream.
2 more elements
A process for producing ethanol, comprising:
- hydrogenating a feed stream in a 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, wherein the feed stream is produced by combining an acetic acid stream and a liquid recycle stream;
- determining ethyl acetate concentration in the crude ethanol product;
- and
- adding at least 0.01 wt. % water to the feed stream for maintaining an ethyl acetate conversion of greater than 0%, when the ethyl acetate concentration of the crude ethanol product is greater than the ethyl acetate concentration of the feed stream.
4 more elements
A process for producing ethanol, comprising:
- hydrogenating a feed stream in a 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, wherein the feed stream is produced by combining an acetic acid stream and a liquid recycle stream;
- determining ethyl acetate concentration in the crude ethanol product;
- and
- adding at least 0.01 wt. % water to the feed stream for maintaining an ethyl acetate conversion of greater than 0%, when the ethyl acetate concentration of the crude ethanol product is greater than the ethyl acetate concentration of the feed stream.
4 more elements
A process for producing ethanol, comprising:
- providing a crude ethanol product;
- separating at least a portion of the crude ethanol product in two or more columns to produce ethanol and a liquid recycle stream comprising ethyl acetate, wherein the feed stream is produced by combining an acetic acid stream and a liquid recycle stream;
- determining ethyl acetate concentration in the crude ethanol product;
- and
- adding at least 0.01 wt. % water to the feed stream for maintaining an ethyl acetate conversion of greater than 0%, when the ethyl acetate concentration of the crude ethanol product is greater than the ethyl acetate concentration of the feed stream.
2 more elements
A process for producing ethanol, comprising:
- hydrogenating a feed stream in a reactor in the presence of a catalyst to form a crude ethanol product;
- separating at least a portion of the crude ethanol product in two or more columns to produce ethanol and a liquid recycle stream comprising ethyl acetate, wherein the feed stream is produced by combining an acetic acid stream and a liquid recycle stream;
- and
- maintaining a water concentration in the feed stream and maintaining a constant ethyl acetate concentration in the reactor;
- provided that when the ethyl acetate conversion is less than 0%, the process further comprises adding excess water to the feed stream to maintain the constant ethyl acetate concentration.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.