Method for continuous production of aromatic carboxylic acid

Patent · Tue Dec 20 00:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6385611

Abrams, K J

This patent describes a method for the continuous production of an aromatic carboxylic acid product in a pressurized oxidation reactor by liquid-phase, exothermic oxidation of an aromatic alkyl feed with an oxygen-containing gas, in the presence of an aromatic alkyl feed with an oxygen-containing gas, in the presence of an oxidation catalyst and in an aqueous monocarboxylic C/sub 2/ to C/sub 6/ aliphatic acid solvent medium, wherein the heat generated during the course of the oxidation is removed from the reactor by vaporization of a portion of the reaction medium and water, wherein the resulting vapors are condensed in part in a reflux loop externally of the oxidation reactor to produce a condensate and a gaseous phase, and wherein at least a portion of the condensate is returned to the oxidation reactor, the improvement comprising a method for controlling within desired limits the concentration of water in the oxidation reactor, which comprises: partitioning the vapors into a parallel condensate having a relatively lesser water-to-solvent weight ratio and a vapor phase having a relatively greater water-to-solvent weight ratio; returning the partial condensate directly to the oxidation reactor as a direct reflux stream; withdrawing the vapor phase from the reflux loop as a vapor stream; subjecting the withdrawn vapor stream to heat exchange while decreasing the vapor stream pressure to less than the oxidation reactor pressure to thereby produce an aqueous aliphatic acid stream having a water-to-solvent weight ratio greater than that of the direct reflux stream.

• Assignee: Amoco Corp., Chicago, IL
• Patent Number(s): US 4792621
• OSTI ID: 6385611
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 28 Jul 1986
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
PRODUCTION
ALKYL RADICALS
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
AROMATICS
CATALYSTS
CHEMICAL PREPARATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
GASES
OXIDATION
VAPORS
DISPERSIONS
FLUIDS
MIXTURES
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RADICALS
SOLUTIONS
SYNTHESIS
020400* - Petroleum- Processing
020500 - Petroleum- Products & By-Products