PROCESS FOR HYDROGENATING AN UNSATURATED ORGANIC COMPOUND

摘要

A continuous process for hydrogenating an unsaturated organic compound to a corresponding hydrogenation product which process comprises: (a) providing a hydrogenation plant comprising first and second hydrogenation zones connected in series each containing a charge of a solid heterogeneous hydrogenation catalyst; (b) continuously supplying to an upper part of the first hydrogenation zone (i) a hydrogen-containing gas and (ii) a liquid phase containing the unsaturated organic compound dissolved in a compatible diluent therefor; (c) maintaining the first hydrogenation zone under temperature and pressure conditions conducive to hydrogenation; (d) allowing liquid phase to pass downwardly through the first hydrogenation zone; (e) continuously recovering an intermediate reaction product from a lower part of said first hydrogenation zone; (f) recovering a gaseous effluent from a lower part of the first hydrogenation zone; (g) supplying intermediate reaction product from step (e) in liquid form to an upper part of said second hydrogenation zone; (h) maintaining the second hydrogenation zone under temperature and pressure conditions conducive to hydrogenation; (i) allowing intermediate liquid reaction product to pass downwardly through said second hydrogenation zone; (j) supplying a hydrogen-containing gas to a lower part of the second hydrogenation zone; (k) recovering a gaseous effluent stream from an upper part of the second hydrogenation zone; (l) recovering a liquid hydrogenation product containing stream from a lower part of the second hydrogenation zone; and (m) purging material of at least one of the gaseous effluent streams of steps (f) and (k) from the hydrogenation plant; whereby the flows of gas and liquid are in co-current in said first hydrogenation zone and are in counter-current in said second hydrogenation zone.