REACTIVE DISTILLATION PROCESS AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ACETIC ACID AND METHANOL FROM METHYL ACETATE HYDROLYSIS

摘要

The present invention is a reactive distillation process for methyl acetate hydrolysis comprising a rectifying section (2), a reaction section (3) and a stripping section (4). A water stream is fed into the upper portion of the rectifying (2) or reaction zone (3) and a methyl acetate stream is fed into the lower portion of the reaction zone (3) which contains packings made of ion exchange resin. The products, acetic acid and methanol, are continuously produced from the bottom of the apparatus.