Combined column for separating products of different hydrogenation reactors

摘要

Recovery of ethanol from a crude product comprising ethyl acetate obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. The crude product is separated to form an organic stream that may be subjected to hydrogenolysis to form ethanol. The organic phase may comprise ethyl acetate is reacted via hydrogenolysis form ethanol that may be directly or indirectly fed to the separation zone or the hydrogenation reactor.

主权项

1. A process for producing ethanol, comprising:
hydrogenating acetic acid in the presence of a catalyst under conditions effective to produce a crude product comprising from 0 to 10 wt. % acetic acid, from 40 to 95 wt. % ethyl acetate and from 5 to 40 wt. % ethanol, wherein ethyl acetate is present in a greater weight amount than ethanol; introducing at least a portion of the crude product at an inlet to a distillation column and obtaining an overhead that is condensed and collected; maintaining conditions to biphasically separate the condensed and collected overhead into an organic phase comprising ethyl acetate and an aqueous phase; feeding the aqueous phase to the distillation column above the inlet of the crude product to extract ethanol from ethyl acetate; feeding a secondary crude product formed by hydrogenolyzing at least a portion of the organic phase to the distillation column below the inlet of the crude product; and recovering ethanol from a residue of the distillation column.