Bp Corporation North America Inc.

Amoco Corporation

Bp Amoco Corporation

Ineos US Chemicals Company

Bhs-sonthofen Gmbh

Thomas Bartos

Bruce I Rosen

Timothy H Keyes

Kenneth J Abrams

Anders Bitsch-Larsen

Jeffrey L Broeker

Jeffrey I Rosenfeld

Allen Nelson

Alakananda A Bhattacharyya

David L Sikkenga

Ian C Zaenger

Frank G Belmonte

David A Peterson

Linus K Leung

John A Macek

Anne M Karachewski

Debra J Streich

John C Gee

Alpen K Pandya

Fred T Clark

Anders Larsen-Bitsch

Kathryn Buckalew

Mossman: Allen B

Allen P Nelson

A process for the separation of the components of a solid/liquid mixture. The process Includes the use of a rotary pressure filter apparatus having improved capacity.

Separation process having improved capacity

Processes for recovering a purified aromatic carboxylic acid include contacting a crude aromatic carboxylic acid with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst in a hydrogenation reactor to form a purified aromatic carboxylic acid; crystallizing the purified aromatic carboxylic acid to form a solid/liquid mixture comprising purified aromatic carboxylic acid solids; filtering the solid/liquid mixture in a rotary pressure filter apparatus to remove a liquid filtrate, washing the solid/liquid mixture in the rotary pressure apparatus with a wash fluid to form a washed solid/liquid mixture, and drying the washed solid/liquid mixture in the rotary pressure apparatus with an inert gas to form a filter cake comprising purified aromatic carboxylic acid solids and a wet gas stream; withdrawing the wet gas stream from the rotary pressure filter apparatus while maintaining the wet gas stream at a pressure above ambient; and recovering the purified aromatic carboxylic acid solids from the filter cake.

Using pressurized wet gas lines to avoid fouling in purified terephthalic acid (PTA) filters and lines

A rotary pressure filter apparatus, a sealing device for use with the rotary pressure filter apparatus, and a process of using the apparatus. The rotary pressure filter apparatus is designed to treat a solid-liquid mixture under pressure in successive work zones. A rotary drum moves compartments containing the solid-liquid mixture through the successive zones. The zones are separated by a sealing member, which is designed to reduce pressure fluctuations as the compartments enter a successive zone.

Rotary pressure filter apparatus with reduced pressure fluctuations

Processes for manufacturing a purified aromatic carboxylic acid include oxidizing a substituted aromatic compound in a reaction zone to form a crude aromatic carboxylic acid and a gaseous stream; heating the crude aromatic carboxylic acid in a pre-heating zone, contacting the crude aromatic carboxylic acid with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst in a hydrogenation reactor to form a purified aromatic carboxylic acid, crystallizing the purified aromatic carboxylic acid in a crystallization zone to form a slurry stream comprising solid purified aromatic carboxylic acid and a vapor stream. At least a portion of the vapor stream is directed to the pre-heating zone and at least a portion of the vapor stream from the pre-heating zone is vented to the off-gas treatment zone in order to achieve energy savings.

Purified terephthalic acid (PTA) vent steam utilization

Processes for manufacturing a purified aromatic carboxylic acid include contacting crude aromatic carboxylic acid with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst in a hydrogenation reactor to form a purified aromatic carboxylic acid; separating vapor effluent from the purified aromatic carboxylic acid; scrubbing the vapor effluent to form a scrubber effluent; treating the scrubber effluent vapor to form a gaseous treated scrubber effluent and a liquid treated scrubber effluent; and removing at least a portion of organic impurities from the liquid treated scrubber effluent.

Purified terephthalic acid (PTA) vent dryer vapor effluent treatment

A process for recovering a solid product from a solid/liquid mixture. The process includes filtering a solid/liquid mixture to form a filter cake in a first solid-liquid separation zone. The filter cake comprises the solid product. The first solid-liquid separation zone comprises a rotary pressure filter apparatus configured to apply a pressure differential across at least one filter member, and the filter cake is formed on the filter member. The filter cake is then washed with fluid in the rotary filter apparatus to form a wet filter cake. The wet filter cake is then transferred to a reslurrying zone. The wet filter is mixed with a reslurrying fluid to form a slurry, and the slurry is transferred to a second solid/liquid separation zone, where the solid product is separated from the slurry.

Solid-liquid separation with a no-dry rotary pressure filter

An improved process for preparing aromatic carboxylic acids by the exothermic liquid-phase oxidation reaction of an aromatic feedstock compound wherein water is efficiently recovered from the exothermic liquid-phase oxidation reaction and treated to reduce corrosive agents residing therein.

Process and apparatus for manufacturing aromatic carboxylic acids

Processes for manufacturing a purified aromatic carboxylic acid include heating a purification reaction mixture in a pre-heating zone, the purification reaction mixture comprising a crude aromatic carboxylic acid and a solvent, and purifying the crude aromatic carboxylic acid in the purification reaction mixture to form a purified aromatic carboxylic acid product. One or more operations are maintained at a pressure above ambient in order to achieve energy savings.

Pressurized crude aromatic carboxylic acid feed mixes

Processes for manufacturing purified aromatic carboxylic acids include: generating high-pressure steam from boiler feed water supplied to a boiler; heating a crude aromatic carboxylic acid using the high-pressure steam, whereby the high pressure steam is condensed to form a high-pressure condensate; and purifying the crude aromatic carboxylic acid to form a purified aromatic carboxylic acid. The boiler feed water includes at least a portion of the high-pressure condensate and makeup boiler feed water from at least one additional source.

High-pressure condensate recycle in the manufacture of purified aromatic carboxylic acids

Processes for manufacturing purified aromatic carboxylic acids include: oxidizing a substituted aromatic compound in a reaction zone to form a crude aromatic carboxylic add; transferring a vapor phase from the reaction zone to a separation zone, the vapor phase containing water and a plurality of organic compounds including at least one oxidation by-product; withdrawing an organic-depleted water stream from the separation zone and combining at least a portion of the organic-depleted water stream with at least a portion of the crude aromatic carboxylic acid in a purification zone; and purifying the crude aromatic carboxylic acid in the purification zone.

Process for using dehydration tower condensate as a purification makeup solvent

A process and apparatus for manufacture of aromatic carboxylic acids comprises a liquid phase oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbon feed materials and treatment of a high pressure off-gas from the liquid phase oxidation to separate water and reaction solvent and purification of impure aromatic carboxylic acid products wherein a purification liquid includes water from off-gas treatment.

Process and apparatus for manufacturing pure forms of aromatic carboxylic acids

A process and apparatus for manufacture of aromatic carboxylic acids comprises a liquid phase oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbon feed materials and treatment of a high pressure off-gas from the liquid phase oxidation to separate water and reaction solvent and preferentially apportion liquid phase oxidation by-product species between gas and liquid phase resulting from separation. Processes for making pure forms of aromatic carboxylic acid also are included.

Process and apparatus for manufacturing aromatic carboxylic acids including pure forms thereof

Energy is recovered during the production of aromatic carboxylic acids by liquid phase oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons by performing a high efficiency separation on the reactor overhead vapor to form a high pressure gaseous overhead stream comprising water and organic impurities; recovering heat energy from the high pressure gaseous overhead stream by exchanging heat with a suitable heat sink material such that a condensate comprising from about 20 wt % to about 60 wt % of the water present in the high pressure gaseous overhead stream is formed and a high pressure off-gas is formed; and recovering energy in the form of work from the high pressure off-gas. Preferably such work is recovered using isentropic means for energy recovery, for example an expander. Apparatus for such process is also provided.

Recovery of energy during the production of aromatic carboxylic acids

Processes for the production of aromatic carboxylic acids is disclosed. The aromatic acids are produced by the liquid phase oxidation of a suitable acid precursor in a reaction medium comprising benzoic acid. According to one embodiment, the oxidation is carried out under plug-flow reaction conditions in a plug-flow reactor. The plug-flow conditions can be achieved by the use of a series of continuous stirred tank reactors. In another embodiment, the oxidation is carried out in two continuous stirred tank reactors fluidly connected in series. The preferred oxidation products are terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, trimellitic acid, 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid, 1,5-napthalene dicarboxylic acid, 2,7-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid and phthalic acid.

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Naperville, IL, United States of America

Thomas Bartos