Process for the recovery of maleic anhydride from gases containing maleic anhydride

摘要

An improved process is provided for the recovery and storage of maleic anhydride from maleic anhydride-containing gases. Such gases are scrubbed with a water or maleic acid scrubbing solution in a scrubbing zone to form a maleic acid-containing solution. This maleic acid-containing solution is then concentrated and dehydrated in an evaporation zone and a dehydration zone, respectively, to form maleic anhydride. The maleic anhydride so formed is then purified by distillation in a distillation zone. The evaporation, dehydration, and distillation steps are all carried out under a vacuum maintained by withdrawing gases containing organic and water vapor from said evaporation, dehydration and distillation zones using jet pumps propelled by pressurized air. The vapor-containing gases so removed are admixed with the pressurized air pump propellant streams, and this mixture is then introduced into the scrubbing zone for the maleic anhydride-containing gases. Vapor-containing gases may also be sucked by the jet pumps from maleic anhydride storage vessels, and such vapor-containing gases may also then be introduced into the scrubbing zone.