Abstract: In a method of treating a residue stream from the production of bisphenol-A, the residue stream is contacted with an aqueous solution of a base under conditions effective to hydrolyze at least part of said residue stream into acetone and phenol and produce an effluent stream. Acetone is recovered from the effluent stream to produce a phenol-containing mixed phase stream which is substantially free of acetone and which contains water and unhydrolyzed heavy organic compounds. The phenol-containing mixed phase stream is then treated with a water-immiscible organic solvent to extract phenol and unhydrolyzed heavy organic compounds into said solvent and produce an organic phase containing the solvent, phenol and unhydrolyzed heavy aromatic compounds and an aqueous phase with reduced concentrations of phenol and unhydrolyzed heavy organic compounds. At least part of the phenol and the organic solvent are subsequently recovered from the organic phase.

Abstract: A method for the evaporative production of phenol-BPA adduct crystals in a crystallizer is provided. First, a supersaturated BPA solution is introduced into a crystallizer that includes a cylindrical vessel and a concentrically-disposed draft tube that defines an annular space between the vessel and tube. Next, the BPA solution is circulated through the draft tube and annular space while a coolant is uniformly distributed in the circulating flow by radially injecting a volatile hydrocarbon compound at between about 30% and 60% of a radial extent of the annular space of to form a BPA mixture. Phenol-BPA adduct crystals are produced in the vessel by evaporating the volatile hydrocarbon compound out of the BPA mixture. The method provides a consistent and uniform concentration of coolant across the surface of the boiling zone that prevents or at least reduces unwanted crystal nucleation.

Abstract: A crystallizer for the evaporative production of phenol-BPA adduct crystals is provided that achieves more uniform crystal growth while suppressing undesired crystal nucleation. The crystallizer includes a cylindrical vessel; a draft tube concentrically disposed within the cylindrical vessel such that an annular space is defined between the vessel and tube; an impeller that circulates liquid in the vessel through the draft tube and the annular space, and a plurality of nozzles mounted around an inner wall of said cylindrical vessel that introduce an evaporative coolant into the vessel. Each of the nozzles includes a discharge end disposed between about 30% and 60% of a radial extent of the annular space, and is located below an upper end of the draft tube a distance of between about 50% to 150% of the diameter of the vessel. Such a nozzle arrangement provides a consistent and uniform concentration of coolant across the surface of the boiling zone that prevents or at least reduces unwanted crystal nucleation.

Abstract: In a method of recovering phenol and acetone from a feed stream containing bisphenol-A and isomers thereof, the feed stream is contacted with water and a source of hydroxyl ions under conditions effective to decompose at least part of said bisphenol-A and isomers thereof to phenol and acetone. The conditions include a temperature of about 150° C. to about 300° C., a pressure sufficient to keep the water substantially in the liquid phase at said temperature, and a molar ratio of hydroxyl ions to hydroxyphenyl groups in the residue stream from about 0.3:1 to about 0.9:1.

Abstract: In a method of recovering phenol and acetone from a feed stream containing bisphenol-A and isomers thereof, the feed stream is contacted with water and a source of hydroxyl ions under conditions effective to decompose at least part of said bisphenol-A and isomers thereof to phenol and acetone. The conditions include a temperature of about 150° C. to about 300° C., a pressure sufficient to keep the water substantially in the liquid phase at said temperature, and a molar ratio of hydroxyl ions to hydroxyphenyl groups in the residue stream from about 0.3:1 to about 0.9:1.

Abstract: In a method of treating a residue stream from the production of bisphenol-A, the residue stream is contacted with an aqueous solution of a base under conditions effective to hydrolyze at least part of said residue stream into acetone and phenol and produce an effluent stream. Acetone is recovered from the effluent stream to produce a phenol-containing mixed phase stream which is substantially free of acetone and which contains water and unhydrolyzed heavy organic compounds. The phenol-containing mixed phase stream is then treated with a water-immiscible organic solvent to extract phenol and unhydrolyzed heavy organic compounds into said solvent and produce an organic phase containing the solvent, phenol and unhydrolyzed heavy aromatic compounds and an aqueous phase with reduced concentrations of phenol and unhydrolyzed heavy organic compounds. At least part of the phenol and the organic solvent are subsequently recovered from the organic phase.

Abstract: Both a crystallizer and method for the evaporative production of phenol-BPA adduct crystals are provided that achieve more uniform crystal growth while suppressing undesired crystal nucleation. The crystallizer includes a cylindrical vessel; a draft tube concentrically disposed within the cylindrical vessel such that an annular space is defined between the vessel and tube; an impeller that circulates liquid in the vessel through the draft tube and the annular space, and a plurality of nozzles mounted around an inner wall of said cylindrical vessel that introduce an evaporative coolant into the vessel. Each of the nozzles includes a discharge end disposed between about 30% and 60% of a radial extent of the annular space, and is located below an upper end of the draft tube a distance of between about 50% to 150% of the diameter of the vessel.

Abstract: Both a crystallizer and method for the evaporative production of phenol-BPA adduct crystals are provided that achieve more uniform crystal growth while suppressing undesired crystal nucleation. The crystallizer includes a cylindrical vessel; a draft tube concentrically disposed within the cylindrical vessel such that an annular space is defined between the vessel and tube; an impeller that circulates liquid in the vessel through the draft tube and the annular space, and a plurality of nozzles mounted around an inner wall of said cylindrical vessel that introduce an evaporative coolant into the vessel. Each of the nozzles includes a discharge end disposed between about 30% and 60% of a radial extent of the annular space, and is located below an upper end of the draft tube a distance of between about 50% to 150% of the diameter of the vessel.

Abstract: An improved process is provided for producing bisphenol-A (BPA) comprising steps of (1) contacting benzene and a C3 alkylating agent to produce an alkylation effluent comprising cumene; (2) oxidizing the cumene to produce the corresponding hydroperoxide; (3) cleaving the hydroperoxide to produce product comprising phenol and acetone; (4) reacting acetone with phenol to form a reaction product stream comprising crude bisphenol-A product; (5) distilling the reaction product stream, while sending downstream to a BPA-phenol adduct crystallization and purification step, the resulting concentrated BPA phenolic feed stream; (6) producing BPA-phenol adduct crystals by crystallization of the concentrated BPA phenolic feed stream; (7) separating the BPA-phenol adduct crystals by solid-liquid separationr; (8) cracking a stream comprising at least a portion of said final mother liquor to recover a product; and (9) recovering and feeding the phenol product of step (8) to step (4) and/or step (7).

Abstract: An improved process for the manufacture of a polyphenol compound such as bisphenol-A by introducing into a reaction zone a phenolic compound reactant, a carbonyl compound reactant, and a catalyst promoter comprising bismethylthiopropane added to the reaction system in certain specific locations, and reacting the ingredients within the reaction zone in the presence of an acid catalyst.

Abstract: An improved process is provided for producing bisphenol-A (BPA) comprising steps of (1) contacting benzene and a C3 alkylating agent to produce an alkylation effluent comprising cumene; (2) oxidizing the cumene to produce the corresponding hydroperoxide; (3) cleaving the hydroperoxide to produce product comprising phenol and acetone; (4) reacting acetone with phenol to form a reaction product stream comprising crude bisphenol-A product; (5) distilling the reaction product stream, while sending downstream to a BPA-phenol adduct crystallization and purification step, the resulting concentrated BPA phenolic feed stream; (6) producing BPA-phenol adduct crystals by crystallization of the concentrated BPA phenolic feed stream; (7) separating the BPA-phenol adduct crystals by solid-liquid separation; (8) cracking a stream comprising at least a portion of said final mother liquor to recover a product; and (9) recovering and feeding the phenol product of step (8) to step (4) and/or step (7).

Abstract: An improved process for the manufacture of a polyphenol compound such as bisphenol-A by introducing into a reaction zone a phenolic compound reactant, a carbonyl compound reactant, and a catalyst promoter comprising bismethylthiopropane added to the reaction system in certain specific locations, and reacting the ingredients within the reaction zone in the presence of an acid catalyst.