# US 8,771,616 B2 · Method and apparatus for carbonylating methanol with acetic acid enriched flash stream > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,771,616 B2 - Document ID: US8771616B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/668,577 - Filed: 2012-11-05 - Published: 2013-03-07 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2008-04-29 - Assignees: Celanese International Corporation - Applicants: Celanese International Corporation - Inventors: Jeremy J. Patt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771616B2 ## CPC - C07C 51/12: on an oxygen-containing group in organic compounds, e.g. alcohols - B01D 3/06: Flash distillation - B01J 14/005: {in the presence of catalytically active bodies, e.g. porous plates} - B01J 19/0013: {Controlling the temperature of the process} - B01L 3/06: Crystallising dishes - C07C 51/445: {by steam distillation} - C07C 53/08: Acetic acid (pyroligneous acid C10C; preparation of vinegar C12J) - B01J 31/0231: {Halogen-containing compounds} - B01J 31/20: Carbonyls - B01J 2219/00006: Large-scale industrial plants - B01J 2219/00164: controlling the flow - B01J 2219/00202: at the reactor outlet - B01J 2219/00213: Fixed parameter value - B01J 2219/0024: other than of the reactor or heat exchange system - B01J 2531/822: Rhodium - B01J 2531/827: Iridium - C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE ## Abstract A carbonylation process for producing acetic acid including: (a) carbonylating methanol or its reactive derivatives in the presence of a Group VIII metal catalyst and methyl iodide promoter to produce a liquid reaction mixture including acetic acid, water, methyl acetate and methyl iodide; (b) feeding the liquid reaction mixture at a feed temperature to a flash vessel which is maintained at a reduced pressure; (c) heating the flash vessel while concurrently flashing the reaction mixture to produce a crude product vapor stream, wherein the reaction mixture is selected and the flow rate of the reaction mixture fed to the flash vessel as well as the amount of heat supplied to the flash vessel is controlled such that the temperature of the crude product vapor stream is maintained at a temperature less than 90° F. cooler than the feed temperature of the liquid reaction mixture to the flasher and the concentration of acetic acid in the crude product vapor stream is greater than 70% by weight of the crude product vapor stream. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for producing acetic acid comprising: (a) a reactor for carbonylating methanol or its reactive derivatives in the presence of a homogeneous Group VIII metal catalyst and methyl iodide promoter to produce a liquid reaction mixture including acetic acid, water, methyl acetate and methyl iodide; (b) a flash vessel adapted to receive a stream of the reaction mixture and flash the reaction mixture at a reduced pressure to produce a crude product vapor stream; and (c) a heat transfer system coupled to the reactor and the flash vessel operative to transfer heat from the reactor to the flash vessel so as to elevate the temperature of the crude product vapor stream such that the crude product vapor stream is maintained at a temperature selected from the group consisting of: greater than 300° F. as measured at the vapor outlet of the flash vessel and less than 90° F. cooler than the temperature of the reaction mixture fed to the flasher; and such that the concentration of acetic acid in the crude product vapor stream is greater than 70% by weight of the crude product vapor stream; wherein the reactor comprises a homogeneous catalyst feed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a converter vessel coupled to the reactor and the flash vessel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a splitter column adapted for receiving the crude product vapor stream and removing methyl acetate and methyl iodide therefrom to produce a purified product stream. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a drying column adapted for receiving the purified product stream from the splitter column and removing water therefrom. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer system is adapted to supply sufficient heat to the flash vessel such that the crude product vapor stream has an acetic acid concentration of at least 75 weight % of the stream. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer system is adapted to supply sufficient heat to the flash vessel such that the crude product vapor stream has an acetic acid concentration of at least 80 weight % of the stream. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer system is adapted to supply sufficient heat to the flash vessel such that the crude product vapor stream has an acetic acid concentration of from 80 weight % to 85 weight % of the stream. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer system is adapted to supply sufficient heat to the flash vessel such that the crude product vapor stream has a temperature less than 85° F. cooler than the temperature of the liquid reaction mixture stream fed to the flash vessel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer system is adapted to supply sufficient heat to the flash vessel such that the crude product vapor stream has a temperature less than 80° F. cooler than the temperature of the liquid reaction mixture stream fed to the flash vessel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer system is adapted to supply sufficient heat to the flash vessel such that the crude product vapor stream has a temperature less than 75° F. cooler than the temperature of the liquid reaction mixture stream fed to the flash vessel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer system is adapted to supply sufficient heat to the flash vessel such that the crude product vapor stream has a temperature less than 65° F. cooler than the temperature of the liquid reaction mixture stream fed to the flash vessel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer system is adapted to supply sufficient heat to the flash vessel such that the crude product vapor stream has a temperature less than 60° F. cooler than the temperature of the liquid reaction mixture stream fed to the flash vessel. ### Claim 13 An apparatus for producing acetic acid comprising: (a) a reactor comprising a homogeneous catalytic reaction medium for carbonylating methanol or its reactive derivatives in the presence of a homogeneous Group VIII metal catalyst and methyl iodide promoter to produce a liquid reaction mixture including acetic acid, water, methyl acetate and methyl iodide; (b) a flash vessel adapted to receive a stream of the reaction mixture and flash the reaction mixture at a reduced pressure to produce a crude product vapor stream; and (c) a heat transfer system coupled to the reactor and the flash vessel operative to transfer heat from the homogeneous catalytic reaction medium to the flash vessel so as to elevate the temperature of the crude product vapor stream such that the crude product vapor stream is maintained at a temperature selected from the group consisting of: greater than 300° F. as measured at the vapor outlet of the flash vessel and less than 90° F. cooler than the temperature of the reaction mixture fed to the flasher; and such that the concentration of acetic acid in the crude product vapor stream is greater than 70% by weight of the crude product vapor stream.