Celanese International Corporation

Ashok Rakhe

Raymond J Zinobile

Ronald David Shaver

Michael B Lakin

Eductor mixers are used to mix the reaction medium in a carbonylation reactor. A portion of the reaction solution withdrawn from the reactor and directed through a pump around loop. The pump around loop is fed back to the reactor through the eductor mixers. In addition, a pump around loop may pass through one or more steam generators and/or heat exchangers.

Eductor-based reactor and high flow pump around loops for production of acetic acid

A distillation column is provided with a downcomer having an enlarged upper region to increase a processing rate for the removal of permanganate reducing compounds (PRCs) formed by the carbonylation of methanol in the presence of a catalyst to produce acetic acid. The distillation column includes a vertically extending distillation housing; and a plurality of tray assemblies, at least one of which includes a horizontally extending tray panel and a downcomer having, in a downward direction, an enlarged, funnel-shaped upper region defined by a top downcomer panel oriented at an angle to the vertical, and a lower region of substantially constant cross-sectional area defined by a vertically-oriented bottom downcomer panel.

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Corpus Christi, TX, United States of America

Ashok Rakhe