Process for the production of acetic acid

摘要

In a process for the production of acetic acid by carbonylation of methanol in the presence of a rhodium carbonylation catalyst, methyl iodide and an iodide salt stabiliser the improvement resides in maintaining a finite concentration of water of up to about 10% by weight and a methyl acetate concentration of at least 2% by weight in the liquid reaction composition and recovering the acetic acid product by passing the liquid reaction composition through a flash zone to produce a vapour fraction which is passed to a single distillation column from which an acetic acid product is removed.