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US 9,000,235 B2Granted
Extractive distillation of crude alcohol product
AssigneeCelanese International Corporation
InventorsDavid Lee, Lincoln Sarager, Trinity Hale, Victor J. Johnston
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid using an extractive distillation column. The column yields a residue that comprises ethanol, acetic acid, and the extractive agent. The extractive agent may be water and may be separated from the residue and returned to the extractive distillation column.
Claims20
A process for producing ethanol, comprising:
- hydrogenating acetic acid from an acetic acid feed stream in a reactor to form a crude ethanol product comprising ethanol, ethyl acetate, and acetic acid, wherein the crude ethanol product comprises at least a portion of the one or more extractive agents;
- separating at least a portion of the crude ethanol product in a first column in the presence of the one or more extractive agents into a first distillate comprising ethyl acetate, and a first residue comprising ethanol, acetic acid, and the one or more extractive agents, wherein the first residue comprises less than 1 wt. % ethyl acetate;
- separating the first residue in a second column into a second distillate comprising ethanol and the one or more extractive agent, and a second residue comprising acetic acid;
- separating the second distillate in a third column into a third distillate comprising ethanol, and a third residue comprising the one or more extractive agent;
- and
- recovering at least a portion of the one or more extractive agent from the third residue.
3 more elements
A process for producing ethanol, comprising:
- hydrogenating acetic acid from an acetic acid feed stream in a reactor to form a crude ethanol product comprising ethanol, ethyl acetate, and acetic acid wherein the crude ethanol product comprises at least a portion of the one or more extractive agents;
- separating at least a portion of the crude ethanol product in a first column in the presence of the one or more extractive agents into a first distillate comprising ethyl acetate, and a first residue comprising ethanol, acetic acid, and the one or more extractive agents, wherein the first residue comprises less than 1 wt. % ethyl acetate;
- separating the first residue in a second column into a second distillate comprising ethanol, and a second residue comprising the one or more extractive agents and acetic acid, and
- recovering the one or more extractive agents from the second residue.
1 more element
A process for producing ethanol, comprising the steps of:
- providing a crude ethanol product comprising ethanol, acetic acid, and ethyl acetate wherein the crude ethanol product comprises at least a portion of the one or more extractive agents;
- separating at least a portion of the crude ethanol product in a first column in the presence of the one or more extractive agents into a first distillate comprising ethyl acetate, and a first residue comprising ethanol, acetic acid, and the one or more extractive agents, wherein the first residue comprises less than 1 wt. % ethyl acetate;
- separating the first residue in a second column into a second distillate comprising ethanol and one or more extractive agent, and a second residue comprising acetic acid;
- separating the second distillate in a third column into a third distillate comprising ethanol, and a third residue comprising the one or more extractive agent;
- and
- recovering the one or more extractive agent from the third residue.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.