Purification of acetic acid from wood acetylation process

A method of purifying acetic acid containing terpene and terpenoid impurities, comprising:

• (a) recovering dry acetic acid from a wood acetylation process;
• (b) supplying the acetic acid and water to a distillation column;
• (c) azeotropically removing terpene or terpenoid impurities as low boiling point water azeotropes in distillate from the mixture of acetic acid and water supplied to the column;
• (d) withdrawing a product stream from the column comprising acetic acid purified of terpene or terpenoid impurities;
• and
• (e) drying the product stream.

A method of purifying acetic acid containing terpene and terpenoid impurities, comprising:

• (a) supplying acetic acid containing terpene or terpenoid impurities to a distillation column;
• (b) feeding water to the distillation column at a location above the location where acetic acid is supplied;
• (c) azeotropically removing terpene or terpenoid impurities as low boiling point water azeotropes in distillate from the mixture of acetic acid and water supplied to the column by way of withdrawing overhead vapor from the distillation column;
• (d) condensing the overhead vapor;
• (e) refluxing a portion of the condensed distillate withdrawn from the distillation column;
• and
• (f) withdrawing a product stream from the column comprising acetic acid purified of terpene or terpenoid impurities.