The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 25, 2002
Filed:
Jun. 29, 1999
Philip M. Colling, Corpus Christi, TX (US);
Raul A. Hauser Luna, Coatzacoalcos, MX;
Celanese International Corporation, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
Ethylene is a commodity chemical used as a reactant in the production of vinyl acetate. Ethylene is relatively expensive thus making its recovery and re-use in the process encouraged. The present invention provides a method for the recovery of ethylene from the inert gas purge stream from the reactor loop in a vapor-phase process for making vinyl acetate. The method of the present invention includes the steps of contacting the inert gas purge stream containing ethylene with acetic acid in an absorption vessel; discharging a stream containing acetic acid and ethylene from one aspect of the absorption vessel; separating the ethylene from the acetic acid in the stream by contacting the stream with ethylene gas in a scrubber column; and recovering ethylene from a top portion of the scrubber column. The method may also include the step of recycling the recovered ethylene to the reactor loop for further use.