Disclosed is a method for removing acetaldehyde and other permanganate reducing compounds (PRCs) from a process stream in the methanol carbonylation process for making acetic acid. The method includes the steps of forming an azeotrope to reduce the boiling point of the acetaldehyde and other PRCs to facilitate separation of the acetaldehyde and other PRCs from the process. In one embodiment the azeotrope comprises butane and acetaldehyde.

Methods and systems for preparing acetone from cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) are disclosed. The disclosed methods involve cleaving CHP to form a cleavage product stream. In some embodiments, the cleavage product stream is separated into an overhead stream and a bottoms stream. The bottoms stream is neutralized, washed and then treated in a crude acetone column to provide a crude acetone stream. The overhead stream of the cleavage product is flashed forward in the process, bypassing the neutralization, washing, and crude acetone column and is then combined with the crude acetone stream. The combined acetone streams are provided to an acetone product column. According to some embodiments, the acetone product column comprises a side draw for obtaining a recycle acetone stream, which is recycled to the cleavage reactor(s). The recycle acetone side draw may be located lower on the acetone product column than the point from which product acetone is obtained. The disclosed methods increase the efficiency of the process.

Methods and systems for preparing acetone from cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) are disclosed. The disclosed methods involve cleaving CHP to form a cleavage product stream. In some embodiments, the cleavage product stream is separated into an overhead stream and a bottoms stream. The bottoms stream is neutralized, washed and then treated in a crude acetone column to provide a crude acetone stream. The overhead stream of the cleavage product is flashed forward in the process, bypassing the neutralization, washing, and crude acetone column and is then combined with the crude acetone stream. The combined acetone streams are provided to an acetone product column. According to some embodiments, the acetone product column comprises a side draw for obtaining a recycle acetone stream, which is recycled to the cleavage reactor(s). The recycle acetone side draw may be located lower on the acetone product column than the point from which product acetone is obtained. The disclosed methods increase the efficiency of the process.

The disclosure relates to a device for fermentation integrated with separation and purification of acetone, butanol, and ethanol (ABE) or butanol alone, including a medium tank (1), used for supplying a medium into a bioreactor; a bioreactor (2), connected with the medium tank (1), used for fermentation; a gas distributor (9), used for supplying gas bubble to the fermentation broth; a membrane separation unit (4), with gas communication to the bioreactor (2), used for receiving a gas with ABE or butanol from the bioreactor and separating ABE or butanol; a condensation unit (5), used for recovering ABE or butanol; a vacuum manometer (6) and a vacuum pump (8), used for supplying a force for driving ABE or butanol in a vapor form; and product tank (7), used for receiving a product.

The disclosure relates to a device for fermentation integrated with separation and purification of acetone, butanol, and ethanol (ABE) or butanol alone, including a medium tank (1), used for supplying a medium into a bioreactor; a bioreactor (2), connected with the medium tank (1), used for fermentation; a gas distributor (9), used for supplying gas bubble to the fermentation broth; a membrane separation unit (4), with gas communication to the bioreactor (2), used for receiving a gas with ABE or butanol from the bioreactor and separating ABE or butanol; a condensation unit (5), used for recovering ABE or butanol; a vacuum manometer (6) and a vacuum pump (8), used for supplying a force for driving ABE or butanol in a vapor form; and product tank (7), used for receiving a product.

Catalytic chemical conversion of carbon dioxide gas combined with a hydrocarbon gas, comprising natural gas, methane, ethane, propane, butane or pentane, over a transition metal oxide, produces organic solvent products. The process converts oxidized carbon compounds to valued organic products and can reduce or eliminate the carbon footprint of industrial electric power generation industry. Catalytic processes are taught for chemical conversion of oxides of carbon, principally carbon dioxide (formed by combustion of hydrocarbons), to solvent compounds comprising acetone, butanol, pentane and related organic products. The catalysts are transition metal oxides, selected from the group comprising manganese, iron and cobalt or combinations thereof.

Catalytic chemical conversion of carbon dioxide gas combined with a hydrocarbon gas, comprising natural gas, methane, ethane, propane, butane or pentane, over a transition metal oxide, produces organic solvent products. The process converts oxidized carbon compounds to valued organic products and can reduce or eliminate the carbon footprint of industrial electric power generation industry. Catalytic processes are taught for chemical conversion of oxides of carbon, principally carbon dioxide (formed by combustion of hydrocarbons), to solvent compounds comprising acetone, butanol, pentane and related organic products. The catalysts are transition metal oxides, selected from the group comprising manganese, iron and cobalt or combinations thereof.

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 producing bisphenol A (BPA) is provided. The method includes step A of degrading a polycarbonate resin in a solvent and distilling off the solvent to obtain a crude solution A; step B of subjecting acetone and phenol to dehydration condensation; step C of distilling off unreacted acetone and water to obtain a concentrated liquid C; step D of crystallizing the concentrated liquid C to obtain a slurry liquid, from which a mother liquor D is obtained; step H of obtaining a solution H1 or a solution H2 from the crude solution A and part of the mother liquor D; and step I of supplying the solution H1 or H2 to the step B or C. The solution H1 contains BPA obtained by degrading BPA contained in the crude solution A and the mother liquor D into phenol and isopropenylphenol and then rebonding phenol and isopropenylphenol, and the solution H2 contains phenol obtained by degrading BPA contained in the crude solution A and the mother liquor D into phenol and acetone.