Method of reducing inflow of water from a reactor outlet gas to a dehydration tower for separating carboxylic acid solvent and water

摘要

A method of reducing or eliminating inflow of water to a dehydration tower using steam for separating water from a carboxylic acid from a reactor outlet gas produced in a reactor during oxidation of an aromatic compound in a carboxylic acid solvent to produce an aromatic acid, for example, oxidation of p-xylene in acetic acid solvent to produce terepthalic acid. The aromatic compound is introduced at the top of an absorption tower and collects ascending carboxylic acid solvent, introduced in the reactor outlet gas at the bottom of the absorption tower, for reintroduction into the reactor eliminating the need to remove and recover the solvent. The absorption tower, condensers and an organic-water separator remove the water in the reactor outlet gas as waste water, and the amount of water inflow to the dehydration tower is reduced or eliminated, as is the amount of steam required for separation.