| 摘要 |
An apparatus and process are described for recovery of a carboxylic acid by hydrolysis of an ester in a mixture comprising the ester, an alcohol and water. The apparatus comprises a catalytic distillation column containing an acidic catalyst and a distillation column. Simultaneously and interdependently the alcohol is catalytically dehydrated to the corresponding ether and water, and said water reacts with the ester to generate a carboxylic acid rich stream from the catalytic distillation column. The acid is recovered by distillation in the distillation column. The process requires no added water. A second embodiment of the apparatus and process has means to co-feed one or both of added methanol and/or water with the feed to maintain substantially optimum operation independent of feed composition.
|
