FIELD: chemistry.
SUBSTANCE: invention relates to an improved method of recovering energy during production of aromatic carboxylic acids via liquid phase oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons wherein vapour containing reaction solvent and water forms in the top part of the reactor, and the method comprises the following steps: a) high efficiency separation of the vapour from the top part of the reactor to form at least a high-pressure gas stream containing water and organic impurities; b) recovering heat of the high-pressure gas stream via heat exchange with a heat sink, where a condensate forms, said condensate containing approximately 20-60 wt % water, present in the high-pressure gas stream, and high-pressure exhaust gas containing approximately 40-80 wt % water present in the high-pressure gas stream, remains uncondensed and temperature or pressure of the heat sink increases; and c) expansion of the high-pressure exhaust gas which is uncondensed at step (b), containing approximately 40-80 wt % water, present in the high-pressure gas stream, in order to recover energy of the high-pressure exhaust gas in form of work; and d) directing the heat sink, whose temperature and pressure increases at step (c), to another step of the method for heating or using outside the method. The invention also relates to a method of producing aromatic carboxylic acids with energy recovery and a device for recovering energy.
EFFECT: invention significantly lowers power consumption during production of aromatic carboxylic acids.
16 cl, 3 dwg
