Enhancing the Separation Efficiency in Acetic Acid Manufacturing by Methanol Carbonylation

Acetic acid is an essential chemical used in the production of many chemical products. Using methanol as bio-building block, the acetic acid produced may be incorporated in bio-based products. This study deals with enhancing the efficiency of separations in a process using a homogeneous catalyst, which is the most applied today industrially. Several configurations for downstream processing by distillation are investigated using effective combinations of fully thermally coupled columns, namely, dividing-wall columns, alone or combined with heat pumps. The results indicate that the three-column direct sequence may be effectively replaced by a two-column sequence. Overall, the total annual cost is reduced by 34 %. The cost of compressor may be paid back in 1.5 years by the saved energy. Low energy intensity is achieved by tight integration with the reaction section.

Automated summary

This study focuses on enhancing the efficiency of separations in a process using a homogeneous catalyst, leading to a 34% reduction in total annual cost through optimized configurations for downstream processing by distillation. Low energy intensity is achieved through tight integration with the reaction section.