PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF AROMATIC CARBOXYLIC ACIDS

摘要

Disclosed is an improved process for the continuous production of aromatic carboxylic acids by the liquid-phase oxidation of an alkyl aromatic compound with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of oxidation catalyst which effectively utilizes the heat of reaction in the process of removing excess water generated from the reaction and minimizes the loss of solvent used as the carrier for the reaction catalyst. Operation of the process is improved by removing reactor off-gas directly into a water removal column for distillation. A portion of distillate condensed from the overhead aqueous vapors of the water removal column is refluxed to the fractionating zone of the water removal column. A bottoms liquid of partially de-watered process solvent obtained from the water removal column is sprayed into the reactor above the phase separation of the gas/liquid contents thereby enriching the water content of the reactor off-gas to improve the efficiency of the water removal column without additional heat input beyond that of the heat of reaction.