Celanese International Corporation

Robert Cunningham

Victor J Johnston

R Jay Warner

Lincoln Sarager

Josefina T Chapman

Radmila Jevtic

Trinity Horton

Tianshu Pan

Heiko Weiner

Gerald Grusendorf

Radmila Wollrab

Trinity Horton Hale

Alfonso Javier Torres

Jay R Warner

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

In one embodiment, the invention is to a process for producing ethanol. The process comprises the step of hydrogenating an acetic acid feed stream in a first reactor to form a crude ethanol product. The crude ethanol product may comprise, among other components, ethanol, acetaldehyde, and residual acetic acid. The process further comprises the step of recovering acetaldehyde from the crude ethanol product. The process further comprises the steps of feeding a first portion of the recovered acetaldehyde to the first reactor and reacting the first portion of the recovered acetaldehyde in the first reactor to form additional ethanol. In addition, the inventive process may comprise the steps of feeding a second portion of the recovered acetaldehyde to a second reactor and reacting the second portion of the recovered acetaldehyde in the second reactor to form an additional product.

Process for purifying ethanol

Recovery of an ester feed stream, optionally with the 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 the ester feed stream and for integration of the ester feed stream with an esters production process. The composition of the ester feed stream may vary, but at least comprises ethyl acetate and ethanol. The ester feed stream may be fed to one or more locations within the esters production process depending on the composition of the ester feed stream.

Process for producing an ester feed stream for esters production and co-production of ethanol

Recovery of an ethyl acetate solvent, optionally with the recovery of ethanol, from a crude product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. Separation and purification processes of the crude product are employed to allow recovery of the ethyl acetate solvent.

Process for producing an ethyl acetate solvent and co-production of ethanol

Process for recovering ethanol with vapor separation

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Plainfield, IN, United States of America

Robert Cunningham