Method of producing ethyl acetate and an equipment for carrying out this method

A method of producing ethyl acetate by reaction of ethyl alcohol with acetic acid and/or acetic anhydride in the presence of a solid acidic catalyst accompanied by simultaneous distillation separation of reaction components, characterized in that acetic acid or acetic anhydride or a mixture thereof, and ethyl alcohol, respectively, are introduced separately in a molar ratio of 2:1 to 1:2.5 and in a quantity, expressed as a total flow rate of 0.1 to 10 h−1 of the introduced components, per unit volume of catalyst, into a system, in which system the reaction and the distillation separation are carried out in three zones, whereby, in the reaction zone, which is centrally located between an upper separation zone and a lower separation zone, the reaction runs simultaneously with the distillation separation of components having different boiling points, while separation of components takes place in said upper and lower separation zones, whereby water produced as a by-product of the reaction forms a low-boiling azeotropic mixture with ethyl acetate, and distills completely or partially from the system;

• the distillate is thereafter cooled to 5 to 70° C.;
• water is then separated from the ethyl acetate and other organic components of the distillate and is withdrawn from the system, the organic components of the distillate containing predominantly raw ethyl acetate, being partially returned back as reflux flow and partially withdrawn, whereby the ethyl alcohol feed and the acetic acid or acetic anhydride feed or that of their mixture are introduced into the system so that the acetic acid feed and/or the acetic anhydride feed and/or that of their mixture are introduced into the reaction zone or above this zone into a place situated above the place of introduction of the ethyl alcohol feed, and the ethyl alcohol feed is introduced into the reaction zone or under this zone, whereby the ratio between the feed of the starting components into the column and the organic phase reflux is 1:1 to 1:20, and the unreacted acetic acid is separated as the higher boiling bottom component.