Disclosed herein are a method and systems for cumene hydroperoxide cleavage with an improved configuration for online instrumentation. The systems comprise a first fluid loop comprising one or more reactors and a fluid pump and a second fluid loop in fluid communication with the first fluid loop. This second fluid loop comprises an instrument configured to measure a characteristic of a fluid flowing through the second loop, wherein an input of the second fluid loop is disposed downstream of said fluid pump and an output of the second fluid loop is disposed upstream of said fluid pump. The method comprises causing fluid to flow within a first stage comprising one or more reactors and a fluid pump, wherein the first stage is configured to decompose a cumene hydroperoxide in the presence of a catalyst mixture to form a dicumyl peroxide mixture. The method also comprises causing at least a portion of the fluid to flow through a instrumentation line in open fluid communication with the first stage. This instrumentation line comprises an instrument configured to measure a characteristic of the fluid flowing through the instrumentation line and an input of the instrument line is disposed downstream of said fluid pump.

This present disclosure relates to processes and apparatuses for use of a single dividing wall distillation column for phenol fractionation. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to processes and apparatuses for phenol fractionation by combining crude acetone column and cumene-AMS column into a single dividing wall distillation column. The proper allocation of steam or water injection, chemical treatment reactor and internal liquid phase separator, the positioning of the side draw enables high yield of acetone and phenol.

This present disclosure relates to processes and apparatuses for use of a single dividing wall distillation column for phenol fractionation. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to processes and apparatuses for phenol fractionation by combining crude acetone column and cumene-AMS column into a single dividing wall distillation column. The proper allocation of steam or water injection, chemical treatment reactor and internal liquid phase separator, the positioning of the side draw enables high yield of acetone and phenol.

A process for the treatment of waste water, spent air, and hydrocarbon containing liquid and gaseous streams in the cumene/phenol complex is described. Various effluent streams are combined in appropriate collection vessels, including a spent air knockout drum, a hydrocarbon buffer vessel, a fuel gas knockout drum, a phenolic water vessel, and a non-phenolic water vessel. Streams from these vessels are sent to a thermal oxidation system.

A process for the treatment of waste water, spent air, and hydrocarbon containing liquid and gaseous streams in the cumene/phenol complex is described. Various effluent streams are combined in appropriate collection vessels, including a spent air knockout drum, a hydrocarbon buffer vessel, a fuel gas knockout drum, a phenolic water vessel, and a non-phenolic water vessel. Streams from these vessels are sent to a thermal oxidation system.

A method for the manufacture of a sulfonated phenol for use as a cumene hydroperoxide decomposition catalyst can comprise: combining phenol and a sulfonating agent at a first temperature that is 1° C. to 15° C. higher than a melting temperature of the phenol, to form a reaction mixture at the first temperature; reducing the first temperature of the reaction mixture to a second temperature that is 10 to 40° C. lower than the first temperature; and forming the sulfonated phenol at the second temperature.

A method for the manufacture of a sulfonated phenol for use as a cumene hydroperoxide decomposition catalyst can comprise: combining phenol and a sulfonating agent at a first temperature that is 1° C. to 15° C. higher than a melting temperature of the phenol, to form a reaction mixture at the first temperature; reducing the first temperature of the reaction mixture to a second temperature that is 10 to 40° C. lower than the first temperature; and forming the sulfonated phenol at the second temperature.

A method for the manufacture of a sulfonated phenol for use as a cumene hydroperoxide decomposition catalyst can comprise: combining phenol and a sulfonating agent at a first temperature that is 1° C. to 15° C. higher than a melting temperature of the phenol, to form a reaction mixture at the first temperature; reducing the first temperature of the reaction mixture to a second temperature that is 10 to 40° C. lower than the first temperature; and forming the sulfonated phenol at the second temperature.

A method of producing phenol and acetone can comprise: alkylating benzene with a C.sub.2-6 alkyl source in the presence of a zeolite catalyst to produce a C.sub.8-12 alkylbenzene; oxidizing the C.sub.8-12 alkylbenzene in the presence of an oxygen containing gas to produce a C.sub.8-12 alkylbenzene hydroperoxide; cleaving decomposing the C.sub.8-12 alkylbenzene hydroperoxide in the presence of an acid catalyst to produce phenol, a C.sub.3-6 ketone, and undesirable side products such as, but not limited to acetaldehyde, DMBA, acetophenel one, AMS, AMS dimers, unidentified heavies, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing; and monitoring a concentration of the C.sub.8-12 alkylbenzene hydroperoxide in a process stream of a reactor in real time at a temperature and a pressure of the process stream; and in real time, controlling a parameter of the reactor and/or the cleaving decomposing in response to the concentration of the C.sub.8-12 alkylbenzene hydroperoxide.

A method of producing phenol and acetone can comprise: alkylating benzene with a C.sub.2-6 alkyl source in the presence of a zeolite catalyst to produce a C.sub.8-12 alkylbenzene; oxidizing the C.sub.8-12 alkylbenzene in the presence of an oxygen containing gas to produce a C.sub.8-12 alkylbenzene hydroperoxide; cleaving decomposing the C.sub.8-12 alkylbenzene hydroperoxide in the presence of an acid catalyst to produce phenol, a C.sub.3-6 ketone, and undesirable side products such as, but not limited to acetaldehyde, DMBA, acetophenel one, AMS, AMS dimers, unidentified heavies, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing; and monitoring a concentration of the C.sub.8-12 alkylbenzene hydroperoxide in a process stream of a reactor in real time at a temperature and a pressure of the process stream; and in real time, controlling a parameter of the reactor and/or the cleaving decomposing in response to the concentration of the C.sub.8-12 alkylbenzene hydroperoxide.