Vapor esterification method to produce ester feed for hydrogenolysis

摘要

Disclosed herein are processes for alcohol production by reducing an esterification product, such as ethyl acetate. The processes comprise esterifying, in the vapor phase, acetic acid and an alcohol such as ethanol to produce the esterification product. The esterification product is reduced with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst to obtain a crude reaction mixture comprising the alcohol, in particular ethanol, which may be separated from the crude reaction mixture.

主权项

1. A method of producing ethanol comprising:
esterifying acetic acid and ethanol in a first reaction zone to produce a vapor phase esterification product comprising ethyl acetate, ethanol, water, and acetic acid; separating at least a portion of the vapor phase esterification product in a first column to yield a first distillate comprising ethyl acetate, ethanol, and water, and a first residue comprising acetic acid; biphasically separating at least a portion of the first distillate in a decanter into an organic phase comprising ethyl acetate and an aqueous phase comprising ethanol and water; and reacting at least a portion of the organic phase with hydrogen in a second reaction zone to produce ethanol.