Alcohol Wash Columns

Simulations of two commercial scale alcohol wash columns have been described by Taylor 

TABLE 14.9 Specifications and Stream Table for Extractive Distillation 

Simple distillation Total condenser Total reboiler 15 Stages 

DECHEMA K model Original UNIQUAC model Antoine vapor pressure Excess enthalpy 

Section First stage Last stage Column internals Mass transfer coefficient Column diameter (m) 

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Figure 14.25. Schematic diagram of industrial alcohol wash column configuration.

Figure 14.26. Composition profiles in alcohol wash column 1.

Figure 14.29. McCabe-Thiele diagram for alcohol wash column 2.

Figure 14.32. Comparison between predicted and observed product stream compositions for two industrial alcohol wash columns.

Esterifica.tlon. The process flow sheet (Fig. 4) outlines the process and equipment of the esterification step in the manufacture of the lower acryflc esters (methyl, ethyl, or butyl). For typical art, see References 69—74. The part of the flow sheet containing the dotted lines is appropriate only for butyl acrylate, since the lower alcohols, methanol and ethanol, are removed in the wash column. Since the butanol is not removed by a water or dilute caustic wash, it is removed in the a2eotrope column as the butyl acrylate a2eotrope this material is recycled to the reactor. 

Acryflc acid, alcohol, and the catalyst, eg, sulfuric acid, together with the recycle streams are fed to the glass-lined ester reactor fitted with an external reboiler and a distillation column. Acrylate ester, excess alcohol, and water of esterification are taken overhead from the distillation column. The process is operated to give only traces of acryflc acid in the distillate. The bulk of the organic distillate is sent to the wash column for removal of alcohol and acryflc acid a portion is returned to the top of the distillation column. If required, some base may be added during the washing operation to remove traces of acryflc acid. 

The reactor effluent is sent to the first column (3) where the product is recovered as a bottom stream while the residual C s are sent to the washing column (4) to separate the alcohol. The water/alcohol leaving the column is sent to the alcohol-recovery column (5), to recycle both alcohol and water. 

Alcohol recovery section consisting of a raffinate washing column and alcohol recovery column for recycling unconverted alcohol to the main section to improve reaction selectivity. This is optional in the ethanol mode. 

Pure pyridine may be prepared from technical coal-tar pyridine in the following manner. The technical pyridine is first dried over solid sodium hydroxide, distilled through an efficient fractionating column, and the fraction, b.p. 114 116° collected. Four hundred ml. of the redistilled p)rridine are added to a reagent prepared by dissolving 340 g. of anhydrous zinc chloride in a mixture of 210 ml. of concentrated hydrochloric acid and 1 litre of absolute ethyl alcohol. A crystalline precipitate of an addition compound (probable composition 2C5H5N,ZnCl2,HCl ) separates and some heat is evolved. When cold, this is collected by suction filtration and washed with a little absolute ethyl alcohol. The yield is about 680 g. It is recrystaUised from absolute ethyl alcohol to a constant m.p. (151-8°). The base is liberated by the addition of excess of concentrated... 

Reflux a mixture of 68 g. of anhydrous zinc chloride (e.g., sticks), 40 ml. (47 -5 g.) of concentrated hydrochloric acid and 18-5 g. (23 ml.) of sec.-butyl alcohol (b.p. 99-100°) in the apparatus of Fig. 777, 25, 1 for 2 hours. Distil oflF the crude chloride untU the temperature rises to 100°. Separate the upper layer of the distillate, wash it successively with water, 5 per cent, sodium hydroxide solution and water dry with anhydrous calcium chloride. Distil through a short column or from a Claisen flask with fractionating side arm, and collect the fraction of b.p. 67-70° some high boiling point material remains in the flask. Redistil and collect the pure cc. butyl chloride at 67-69°. The yield is 15 g. 

Allyl Bromide. Introduce into a 1-litre three-necked flask 250 g. (169 ml.) of 48 per cent, hydrobromic acid and then 75 g. (40-5 ml.) of concentrated sulphuric acid in portions, with shaking Anally add 58 g. (68 ml.) of pure allyl alcohol (Section 111,140). Fit the flask with a separatory funnel, a mechanical stirrer and an efficient condenser (preferably of the double surface type) set for downward distillation connect the flask to the condenser by a wide (6-8 mm.) bent tube. Place 75 g. (40 5 ml.) of concentrated sulphuric acid in the separatory funnel, set the stirrer in motion, and allow the acid to flow slowly into the warm solution. The allyl bromide will distil over (< 30 minutes). Wash the distillate with 5 per cent, sodium carbonate solution, followed by water, dry over anhydrous calcium chloride, and distil from a Claisen flask with a fractionating side arm or through a short column. The yield of allyl bromide, b.p. 69-72°, is 112 g. There is a small high-boiling fraction containing propylene dibromide. 

Place 50 g. of anhydrous calcium chloride and 260 g. (323 ml.) of rectified spirit (95 per cent, ethyl alcohol) in a 1-litre narrow neck bottle, and cool the mixture to 8° or below by immersion in ice water. Introduce slowly 125 g. (155 ml.) of freshly distilled acetaldehyde, b.p. 20-22° (Section 111,65) down the sides of the bottle so that it forms a layer on the alcoholic solution. Close the bottle with a tightly fitting cork and shake vigorously for 3-4 minutes a considerable rise in temperature occurs so that the stopper must be held well down to prevent the volatilisation of the acetaldehyde. Allow the stoppered bottle to stand for 24-30 hours with intermittent shaking. (After 1-2 hours the mixture separates into two layers.) Separate the upper layer ca. 320 g.) and wash it three times with 80 ml. portions of water. Dry for several hours over 6 g. of anhydrous potassium carbonate and fractionate with an efficient column (compare Section 11,17). Collect the fraction, b.p. 101-104°, as pure acetal. The yield is 200 g. 

Ethyl acetate. Use 58 g. (73-5 ml.) of absolute ethyl alcohol, 225 g. of glacial acetic acid and 3 g. of concentrated sulphuric acid. Reflux for 6-12 hours. Work up as for n-propyl acetate. B.p. 76- 77°. Yield 32 g. Much ethyl acetate is lost in the washing process. A better yield may be obtained, and most of the excess of acetic acid may be recovered, by distilhng the reaction mixture through an efficient fractionating column and proceeding as for methyl acetate. 

Ethyl formate. Reflux a mixture of 61 g. (50 ml.) of A.R. formic acid (98/100 per cent.) and 31 g. (39-5 ml.) of absolute ethyl alcohol for 24 hours. Transfer to a Claisen flask with fractionating side arm (or attach a fractionating column to the flask), distil and collect the liquid passing over below 62°. Wash the distillate with saturated sodium bicarbonate solution and saturate with salt before removing the ester layer. Dry with anhydrous sodium or magnesium sulphate, filter, and distil. The ethyl formate passes over at 53-54°. The yield is 36 g. 

Cool the mixture and decant the solution from the sodium bromide wash the salt with two 20 ml. portions of absolute alcohol and add the washings to the main solution. Distil off the alcohol, which contains the slight excess of n-propyl bromide used in the condensation, through a short fractionating column from a water bath. The residue A) of crude ethyl n-propylacetoacetate may be used directly in the preparation of methyl n-butyl ketone. If the fairly pure ester is required, distil the crude product under diminished pressure and collect the fraction boihng at 109-113727 mm. (183 g.) (R). 

Myristic acid from hexanoic acid and methyl hydrogen sebacate). Dissolve 23 -2 g. of redistilled hexanoic acid (re caproic acid), b.p. 204-6-205-5°/760 mm., and 21-6 g. of methyl hydrogen sebacate in 200 ml. of absolute methanol to which 0 13 g. of sodium has been added. Electrolyse at 2 0 amps., whilst maintaining the temperature between 30° and 40°, until the pH is about 8 0 (ca. 6 hours). Neutralise the contents of the electrolysis cell with a little acetic acid and distil off the methyl alcohol on a water bath. Dissolve the residue in 200 ml. of ether, wash with three 50 ml. portions of saturated sodium bicarbonate solution, once with water, dry with anhydrous magnesium sulphate, and distil with the aid of a fractionating column (see under Methyl hydrogen adipate). Collect the re-decane at 60°/10 mm. (3 0 g.), the methyl myristate at 158-160°/ 10 mm. (12 5g.) and dimethyl hexadecane-1 16-dicarboxylate at 215-230°/ 7 mm. (1 -5 g.)... 

To a mixture of 100 ml of THF and 0.10 mol of the epoxide (note 1) was added 0.5 g Of copper(I) bromide. A solution of phenylmagnesium bromide (prepared from 0.18 mol of bromobenzene, see Chapter II, Exp. 5) in 130 ml of THF was added drop-wise in 20 min at 20-30°C. After an additional 30 min the black reaction mixture was hydrolysed with a solution of 2 g of NaCN or KCN and 20 g of ammonium chloride in 150 ml of water. The aqueous layer was extracted three times with diethyl ether. The combined organic solutions were washed with water and dried over magnesium sulfate. The residue obtained after concentration of the solution in a water-pump vacuum was distilled through a short column, giving the allenic alcohol, b.p. 100°C/0.2 mmHg, n. 1.5705, in 75% yield. 

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