Celanese International Corporation

Hoechst Celanese Corporation

Celanese International Corportation

R Jay Warner

Victor J Johnston

Lincoln Sarager

Radmila Jevtic

David E Lee

Heiko Weiner

Adam Orosco

Trinity Horton

Josefina T Chapman

Gerald Grusendorf

Radmila Wollrab

Emily Duff

Manuel Salado

Mark O Scates

Tianshu Pan

Nathan Kirk Powell

Trinity Horton Hale

Tatiana H Sonnenberg

Zhenhua Zhou

Wei Qi

G Paull Torrence

Robert Cunningham

Fred Ronald Olsson

Claudio Ribeiro

Robert Alan Deck

Nathan Bower

Melchior A Meilchen

Carl David Murphy

Valerie Santillan

Gerald Gruesendorf

Ronald David Shaver

James H Zink

Craig J Peterson

Kenneth Allen Windhorst

H Robert Gerberich

Andrew Shuff

Michael L Karnilaw

Richard F Vogel, Jr

Melchoir Meilchen

Wael Amleh

Samuel Roundy

Murray Viard

Jerry A Broussard

George A Blay

John L Potts

Dheeraj Kumar

Wayne David Picard

Carolyn Supplee

Madan Singh

Al Amleh

Iva Franjkic

Robin Suzanne Tanke

Martiniano Garza, Jr

Darrell Andrew Fisher

Alfonso Javier Torres

Stephen Kerlegon

Gustavo Angel Robelo Grajales

Hermelinda Pedraza

Pramod Agrawal

Deborah A Sitz

Kenneth Paul Kidwell

Melchior Albert Meilchen

J Alfonso Torres

Michael O Streb

Rolf Soellner

Russell Mark Stephens

Kimberly Ann Horan

Fernando Alejo Solorzano

Francisco Javier Sanchez Santiago

Jose Alfonso Torres

Fred Ronaold Olsson

Nicole Garrett-Wallace

In one embodiment, the invention is to process for producing acrylics. The process includes the steps of contacting a crude product stream with an extraction agent mixture at a temperature less than 50&#xb0; C.

Process for producing acrylic acids and acrylates

The present invention is to a process for producing a anhydrous ethanol composition comprising hydrogenating acetic acid in the presence of a catalyst to form a crude ethanol product; separating in a first column at least a portion of the crude ethanol product into a first distillate comprising ethanol, water and ethyl acetate, and a first residue comprising acetic acid; separating in a second column at least a portion of the first distillate into a second distillate comprising ethyl acetate and a second residue comprising ethanol and water; separating in a third column at least a portion of the second residue into a third distillate comprising ethanol and residual water and a third residue comprising separated water; and dehydrating at least a portion of the third distillate to form the anhydrous ethanol composition. The anhydrous ethanol composition, as formed, comprises less than 1 wt. % water.

Processes for producing anhydrous ethanol compositions

In one embodiment, the invention is to a process for purifying a crude ethanol product. The process comprises the step of hydrogenating acetic acid in a reactor in the presence of a catalyst to form the crude ethanol product. The process further comprises the step of separating at least a portion of the crude ethanol product in a purification zone. The purification zone preferably comprises a first column, which yields a first distillate comprising ethanol, water and ethyl acetate, and a first residue comprising acetic acid. The at least a portion of the crude ethanol product has a residence time from the reactor to the purification zone from 5 minutes to 5 days.

Processes for maximizing ethanol formation in the hydrogenation of acetic acid

Recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid and by reacting a portion of the crude ethanol product or one or more derivative streams containing ethyl acetate obtained therefrom in the presence of hydrogen, via hydrogenolyzis. The one or more derivative streams comprise ethyl acetate that are reacted via hydrogenolyzis to form additional ethanol that may be directly or indirectly fed to the separation zone or the hydrogenation reactor.

Hydrogenolysis of ethyl acetate in alcohol separation processes

A process for recovering ethanol obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. The crude ethanol product is separated in a column to produce a distillate stream comprising acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate and a residue stream comprising ethanol, acetic acid, ethyl acetate and water. The ethanol product is recovered from the residue stream.

Process to recover alcohol with reduced water from overhead of acid column

Recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid using a low energy process. The crude ethanol product is separated in a column to produce a distillate stream comprising acetaldehyde and a residue stream comprising ethanol, acetic acid, ethyl acetate and water. The ethanol product is recovered from the residue stream.

Process to recover alcohol from an ethyl acetate residue stream

The present invention relates to the recovery of alcohols, in particular ethanol, from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid using a reduced energy process. The crude ethanol product may be fed to a distillation column in which a substantial portion of the water is removed with the acetic acid in the residue. Additional water may be removed by using a pressure swing adsorption unit, molecular sieve, and/or membrane. Ethanol extraction may also be used to reduce the ethanol concentration in the recycle streams.

Reduced energy alcohol separation process having water removal

Recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. Separation and purification processes of crude ethanol product are employed to allow recovery of ethanol and remove impurities. In addition, the process involves separating the crude ethanol product using an extractive distillation column that employs an extraction agent, such as a recycled stream comprising water.

Process for producing ethanol using an extractive distillation column

Ethanol production from the hydrogenation of acetic acid requires energy to drive the hydrogenation reaction and the purification of the crude ethanol product. Heat integration process to recover heat from one part of the production process to be used within the process improves efficiencies and reduces costs.

Process for heat integration for ethanol production and purification process

Recycle streams in an ethanol production process are hydrolyzed to reduce ethyl acetate concentration. In the process, acetic acid is hydrogenated to form a crude ethanol product, which undergoes a separation or purification process. Ethyl acetate is formed as a byproduct of the hydrogenation of acetic acid. The hydrolysis of recycle steams from the separation process can reduce the concentration of ethyl acetate, converting some or all of the ethyl acetate to acetic acid and ethanol.

Reducing ethyl acetate concentration in recycle streams for ethanol production processes

Recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. Separation and purification processes of the crude ethanol products are employed to allow recovery of ethanol and remove impurities.

Process for recovering ethanol

Disclosed herein are processes for alcohol production by reducing ethyl acetate produced by hydrogenating acetic acid in the presence of a suitable catalyst. The product of the acetic acid hydrogenation is fed directly to a decanter to separate the hydrogenation product into an aqueous phase comprising water and ethanol and an organic phase comprising ethyl acetate. The organic phase is reduced with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst to obtain a crude reaction mixture comprising the alcohol, in particular ethanol, which may be separated from the crude reaction mixture. Thus, ethanol may be produced from acetic acid through an ethyl acetate intermediate without an esterification step. This may reduce the recycle of ethanol in the hydrogenolysis process and improve ethanol productivity.

Phasing reactor product from hydrogenating acetic acid into ethyl acetate feed to produce ethanol

Disclosed herein are processes for alcohol production by reducing an esterification product, such as ethyl acetate. The processes comprise esterifying acetic acid and an alcohol such as ethanol to produce an esterification product. The esterification product may be recovered using an extractive separation. The esterification product is reduced with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst to obtain a crude reaction mixture comprising the alcohol, in particular ethanol, which may be separated from the crude reaction mixture.

Esterification process using extractive separation to produce feed for hydrogenolysis

A process for selective formation of ethanol from acetic acid by hydrogenating acetic acid in the presence of a catalyst comprises a first metal on an acidic support. The acidic support may comprise an acidic support material or may comprise an support having an acidic support modifier. The catalyst may be used alone to produced ethanol via hydrogenation or in combination with another catalyst. In addition, the crude ethanol product is separated to obtain ethanol.

Process for making ethanol from acetic acid using acidic catalysts

The present invention is directed to processes for recovering ethanol obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. Acetic acid is hydrogenated in the presence of a catalyst in a hydrogenation reactor to form a crude ethanol product. The crude ethanol product is separated in one or more columns to recover ethanol. In some embodiments, less than 10 wt. % ethanol is recycled to the hydrogenation reactor.

Process to reduce ethanol recycled to hydrogenation reactor

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Houston, TX, United States of America

R Jay Warner