Abstract: Methods and systems for producing acetic acid, including glacial acetic acid. A first stream of a reactor fluid that includes methyl acetate, water, and a first amount of carbon monoxide may be forwarded from a reactor to a reactor cooler to form a cooled reactor fluid. The cooled reactor fluid may have a concentration of methyl acetate that is lower than the concentration of methyl acetate in the reactor fluid.

Abstract: The present technology relates to the production and recovery of acetic acid. The recovery processes may include providing a first process stream including acetic acid and greater than 250 ppm of propionic acid; separating at least a portion of the propionic acid from the acetic acid within the first process stream to provide an acetic acid stream including acetic acid and less than 250 ppm of propionic acid and a bottoms stream including propionic acid and acetic acid; reacting the bottoms stream to form a product stream including components of respectively lower boiling points than corresponding components in the bottoms stream; and separating components of the product stream to form an overhead stream including one or more acetates and a bottoms stream including one or more propionates.

Abstract: The present technology relates to the production and recovery of acetic acid. The recovery processes may include providing a first process stream including acetic acid and greater than 250 ppm of propionic acid; separating at least a portion of the propionic acid from the acetic acid within the first process stream to provide an acetic acid stream including acetic acid and less than 250 ppm of propionic acid and a bottoms stream including propionic acid and acetic acid; reacting the bottoms stream to form a product stream including components of respectively lower boiling points than corresponding components in the bottoms stream; and separating components of the product stream to form an overhead stream including one or more acetates and a bottoms stream including one or more propionates.

Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid includes: obtaining hydrogen iodide in an acetic acid production system; and continually introducing a complexing agent into the system, wherein the complexing agent and hydrogen iodide interact to form a complex.

Abstract: The phase separation in the decanter of a process for producing acetic acid by carbonylating methanol in the presence of a catalyst under low water-high acid conditions is improved by forming a liquid mixture (D) which has a water content of at most 20% by weight, based on the weight of the liquid mixture, and a weight ratio of acetic acid to water of at least 1:1, and partitioning the liquid mixture by providing for an alkane(s) content of D of from 0.1 to 15% by weight, based on the weight of D, to obtain a light, aqueous phase and a heavy, organic phase.

Abstract: The phase separation in the decanter of a process for producing acetic acid by carbonylating methanol in the presence of a catalyst under low water-high acid conditions is facilitated and expedited by forming a liquid mixture (D) which has a water content of at most 10% by weight, based on the weight of the liquid mixture, an acetic acid content of at least 10% by weight, based on the weight of the liquid mixture, and a weight ratio of methyl iodide to methyl acetate of at least 1.5:1, and partitioning the liquid mixture at a temperature of from 0 to 35° C.

Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid includes: obtaining hydrogen iodide in an acetic acid production system; and continually introducing a complexing agent into the system, wherein the complexing agent and hydrogen iodide interact to form a complex.

Abstract: The phase separation in the decanter of a process for producing acetic acid by carbonylating methanol in the presence of a catalyst under low water-high acid conditions is improved by forming a liquid mixture (D) which has a water content of at most 20% by weight, based on the weight of the liquid mixture, and a weight ratio of acetic acid to water of at least 1:1, and partitioning the liquid mixture by providing for an alkane(s) content of D of from 0.1 to 15% by weight, based on the weight of D, to obtain a light, aqueous phase and a heavy, organic phase.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling the decanter phase separation of an acetic acid production by methanol carbonylation. The method comprises measuring the methyl acetate concentration of the reactor mixture, calculating the density of the decanter heavy, organic phase according to the measured methyl acetate concentration, and adjusting the conditions in the reactor or in the decanter to ensure phase separation of the decanter.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the production of vinyl acetate where a mixture of ethylene, acetic acid, and oxygen is reacted in the presence of a catalyst to produce a product mixture of vinyl acetate, ethylene, carbon dioxide, acetic acid, water, ethyl acetate, and ethylene glycol diacetate. The product mixture contains both a gaseous phase and a liquid phase, which are separated. The gas phase contains at least carbon dioxide, which is removed via gas stream. The crude vinyl acetate stream is removed via a liquid stream. The crude vinyl acetate is then further separated to isolate a stream containing at the majority of the ethylene glycol diacetate. The ethylene glycol diacetate stream is then methanolyzed in the presence of a methanolyzing catalyst, to recover methyl acetate, which can be optionally recycled as a feed stock to an acetic acid plant.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the production of vinyl acetate where a mixture of ethylene, acetic acid, and oxygen is reacted in the presence of a catalyst to produce a product mixture of vinyl acetate, ethylene, carbon dioxide, acetic acid, water, ethyl acetate, and ethylene glycol diacetate. The product mixture contains both a gaseous phase and a liquid phase, which are separated. The gas phase contains at least carbon dioxide, which is removed via gas stream. The crude vinyl acetate stream is removed via a liquid stream. The crude vinyl acetate is then further separated to isolate a stream containing at the majority of the ethylene glycol diacetate. The ethylene glycol diacetate stream is then methanolyzed in the presence of a methanolyzing catalyst, to recover methyl acetate, which can be optionally recycled as a feed stock to an acetic acid plant.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling the decanter phase separation of an acetic acid production by methanol carbonylation. The method comprises measuring the methyl acetate concentration of the reactor mixture, calculating the density of the decanter heavy, organic phase according to the measured methyl acetate concentration, and adjusting the conditions in the reactor or in the decanter to ensure phase separation of the decanter.

Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid is disclosed. The process comprises carbonylating methanol to form a reaction mixture and flashing the reaction mixture to form a vapor stream and a liquid stream. The flash tank is equipped with a distillation column. The vapor stream comprises acetic acid and other volatile components but essentially no catalyst. The liquid stream comprises the catalyst and sufficient amounts of water and acetic acid to carry and stabilize the catalyst. The liquid stream is recycled to the carbonylation and the vapor stream is subjected to further separation to produce essentially pure acetic acid.

Abstract: A method for reducing aldehydes in an acetic acid production process is disclosed. The acetic acid is produced by reacting methanol and carbon monoxide in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst. The method comprises reacting an aldehyde-containing stream with an alcohol to form an acetal-containing stream. An acetal-enriched stream is separated from the acetal-containing stream and then hydrolyzed to form a hydrolysis mixture comprising the alcohol and the aldehydes. The alcohol is isolated from the hydrolysis mixture and used to react with the aldehyde-containing stream to form the acetal-containing stream. The invention reduces aldehydes in the acetic acid produced.

Abstract: A method for reducing aldehydes in an acetic acid production process is disclosed. The acetic acid is produced by reacting methanol and carbon monoxide in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst. The method comprises reacting an aldehyde-containing stream with an alcohol to form an acetal-containing stream. An acetal-enriched stream is separated from the acetal-containing stream and then hydrolyzed to form a hydrolysis mixture comprising the alcohol and the aldehydes. The alcohol is isolated from the hydrolysis mixture and used to react with the aldehyde-containing stream to form the acetal-containing stream. The invention reduces aldehydes in the acetic acid produced.

Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid is disclosed. The process comprises carbonylating methanol to form a reaction mixture comprising a catalyst, catalyst stabilizer, acetic acid, methanol, methyl iodide, methyl acetate, water, and carbon monoxide and introducing at least a portion of the reaction mixture to a distillation column to separate into a bottom steam comprising the catalyst and catalyst stabilizer, a sidedraw stream comprising acetic acid and water, and an overhead stream comprising methanol, methyl acetate, methyl iodide, and water. The process of the invention eliminates the use of flash tank.

Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid is disclosed. The process comprises carbonylating methanol to form a reaction mixture and flashing the reaction mixture to form a vapor stream and a liquid stream. The flash tank is equipped with a distillation column. The vapor stream comprises acetic acid and other volatile components but essentially no catalyst. The liquid stream comprises the catalyst and sufficient amounts of water and acetic acid to carry and stabilize the catalyst. The liquid stream is recycled to the carbonylation and the vapor stream is subjected to further separation to produce essentially pure acetic acid.

Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid is disclosed. The process comprises carbonylating methanol to form a reaction mixture comprising a catalyst, catalyst stabilizer, acetic acid, methanol, methyl iodide, methyl acetate, water, and carbon monoxide and introducing at least a portion of the reaction mixture to a distillation column to separate into a bottom steam comprising the catalyst and catalyst stabilizer, a sidedraw stream comprising acetic acid and water, and an overhead stream comprising methanol, methyl acetate, methyl iodide, and water. The process of the invention eliminates the use of flash tank.