Ethyl Acetate Production from Acetaldehyde

The process under analysis comprises three major sections: (1) Acetaldehyde Dimerization; (2) Ethyl Acetate Purification; and (3) Acetaldehyde Recovery.

Acetaldehyde Dimerization. The reaction occurs in the presence of a catalyst solution of aluminum ethoxide prepared on site from granular aluminum and a mixture of ethanol and Ethyl Acetate, which is obtained from the purification steps of the process. The catalyst solution is then fed, along with acetaldehyde raw material, to a reactor, where Ethyl Acetate is obtained at high yields. Acetaldehyde conversion may reach 99.5 wt% after the reaction mixture passes through the reactor and a subsequent stirring vessel. Low reaction temperatures ( around 0 °C) are kept by means of refrigerant fluid.

Ethyl Acetate Purification. The reaction product is then routed to stripper, in which distillable products are separated from the catalyst residue by evaporation. The vapor stream is fed to the distillation train, while the liquid residue is treated with water prior to being discarded as waste. In the distillation section of the plant, light ends vapors and high boiling products are separated from Ethyl Acetate. A high-purity Ethyl Acetate product stream is obtained and routed to storage facilities. The high boiling stream is further distilled for recovery of the Ethyl Acetate. The residue is discarded as waste, while the recovered Ethyl Acetate is returned to the process.

Acetaldehyde Recovery. Low boiling products are fed to a column for recovery of the acetaldehyde raw material, which is recycled to the reactor. The column bottoms product comprises a mixture of ethanol and Ethyl Acetate, and is routed to serve as solvent in the catalyst preparation.