Process for production of esters
AssigneeA. E. Staley Manufacturing Company
InventorMichael Charles Milner Cockrem
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for producing an ester comprises the steps of: (a) feeding to a first vessel a feed that comprises organic acid, alcohol, and water, whereby organic acid and alcohol react to form monomeric ester and water, and whereby a first liquid effluent is produced that comprises as its components at least some ester, alcohol, and water, the components of the first liquid effluent being substantially in reaction equilibrium; and (b) feeding the first liquid effluent to a second vessel, whereby a vapor product stream and a second liquid effluent stream are produced, the vapor stream comprising ester, alcohol, and water, wherein the second vessel is maintained substantially at vapor-liquid equilibrium but not substantially at reaction equilibrium.
Claims33
A process for producing an ester, comprising the steps of:
- a. feeding to a first vessel a feed that comprises organic acid, alcohol, and water, whereby organic acid and alcohol react to form monomeric ester and water, wherein the monomeric ester has a lower boiling point than the organic acid, and the feed is not dehydrated, and whereby a first liquid effluent is produced that comprises as its components at least some ester, alcohol, and water, the components of the first liquid effluent being substantially in reaction equilibrium;
- and
- b. feeding the first liquid effluent to a second vessel, whereby a vapor product stream and a second liquid effluent stream are produced, the vapor stream comprising ester, alcohol, and water, wherein the second vessel is maintained at vapor-liquid equilibrium but not at reaction equilibrium;
- wherein at least one of temperature, pressure, and residence time is greater in the first vessel than in the second vessel.
A process for producing a lactic acid ester, comprising the steps of:
- a. feeding to a first vessel a feed that comprises lactic acid, at least one aliphatic alcohol having from 1-20 carbon atoms, and water, whereby lactic acid and the alcohol react to form a monomeric lactic acid ester and water, wherein the lactic acid ester has a lower boiling point than lactic acid, and the feed is not dehydrated, and whereby a first liquid effluent is produced that comprises as its components at least some lactic acid ester, aliphatic alcohol, and water, the components of the first liquid effluent being substantially in reaction equilibrium;
- and
- b. feeding the first liquid effluent to a second vessel, whereby a vapor product streamand a second liquid effluent stream are produced, the vapor stream comprising lactic acid ester, aliphatic alcohol, and water, wherein the second vessel is maintained at vapor-liquid equilibrium but not at reaction equilibrium;
- and wherein at least one of temperature, pressure, and residence time is greater in the first vessel than in the second vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.