Hydroformylation process

摘要

Disclosed is an improved exothermic hydroformylation process having at least two reaction stages. Cooling is provided by externally cooling a stream of reaction mixture from one of the stages, dividing the cooled stream into at least two cooled reaction mixture streams; transferring one cooled reaction mixture stream back into the same reaction stage from which it was removed to cool the reaction mixture in that reaction stage; and transferring at least one cooled reaction mixture stream(s) into and through heat exchange means that cool a different reaction stage, and returning it to the same reaction stage from which it was removed.

主权项

1. An improved exothermic hydroformylation process having at least two reaction stages, comprising the following steps:
(a) reacting hydroformylation reactants exothermically in a first reaction stage in a fluid reaction mixture to form a reaction product; (b) transferring a process stream of fluid reaction mixture from a reaction stage to one or more later and separate reaction stages(s) for further exothermic, product-forming reaction and then to product recovery unit operation(s); (c) transferring a heat transfer stream of reaction mixture from a reaction stage to an external heat exchanger where it is cooled and dividing the cooled stream into multiple cooled reaction mixture streams; (d) transferring a cooled reaction mixture stream from step (c) back into the same reaction stage from which it was removed to cool the reaction mixture in that reaction stage; (e) transferring at least one cooled reaction mixture stream(s) from step (c) into and through heat exchange means that cool a different reaction stage, and returning it to the same reaction stage from which removed; and (f) separating and recovering a reaction product from the reaction mixture and optionally recycling at least some reaction mixture components to the reaction mixture in a reaction stage.