Method of producing ethyl acetate and an equipment for carrying out this method

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of producing ethyl acetate by reaction of ethyl alcohol with acetic acid and/or acetic anhydride in the presence of a solid acidic catalyst accompanied by simultaneous distillation separation of reaction components, in which acetic acid or acetic anhydride or a mixture thereof and ethyl alcohol, respectively, are introduced separately in a molar ratio of 2:1 to 1:2.5 and in a defined quantity, per unit volume of catalyst, into a system separated into three zones, whereby, in the reaction zone, the reaction runs simultaneously with distillation separation of components, acetic acid feed is introduced into the reaction zone or above the zone and ethyl alcohol feed is introduced into the reaction zone or below this zone; in the upper separation zone, the volatile mixture is separated; thereafter, it is cooled to 5 to 70° C. and then separated into water and organic phases and the organic phase with a high ethyl acetate content is drawn off and partially returned as reflux flow into this system, whereby, the ratio of the starting components feed and the organic reflux flow is 1:1 to 1:20. This invention also relates to equipment for carrying out this method.