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:
Aug. 26, 2003
Filed:
Dec. 21, 2001
Bhaskar Krishna Arumugam, Kingsport, TN (US);
Nick Allen Collins, Fall Branch, TN (US);
Transito Lynne Macias, Petal, MS (US);
Steven Thomas Perri, Kingsport, TN (US);
Jeffrey Earl Grant Powell, Blountville, TN (US);
Chester Wayne Sink, Kingsport, TN (US);
Michael Roy Cushman, Punta Gorda, FL (US);
Eastman Chemical Company, Kingsport, TN (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides methods and an apparatus for the manufacture of an L-ascorbic acid product in high yield by direct conversion of an aqueous solution containing 2-keto-L-gulonic acid by contact with an acid catalyst or under thermal self-catalyzed conditions at a conversion level that maximizes the formation of L-ascorbic acid and minimizes decomposition of the L-ascorbic acid thus formed. The separation process for L-ascorbic acid and KLG is operated in such a way that an efficient separation process allows the majority of the KLG to be recycled for further conversion. The product stream from the separation process is then subjected to a recovery step to obtain crystalline L-ascorbic acid product.