FIELD: chemistry.
SUBSTANCE: invention relates to improved methods of producing aromatic carboxylic acids, involving bringing material containing at least one initial substituted aromatic hydrocarbon, where the substitutes are oxidisable to carboxylic acid groups, with oxygen gas in a liquid-phase oxidation reaction mixture containing a monocarboxylic acid as a solvent and water, in the presence of a catalyst composition containing at least one heavy metal, which is effective for catalysing oxidation of the substituted aromatic hydrocarbon to an aromatic carboxylic acid, in a reaction section at high temperature and pressure, effective for keeping the liquid-phase oxidation reaction mixture in a liquid state and forming an aromatic carboxylic acid, and impurities containing by-products of oxidation of the initial aromatic hydrocarbon, which are dissolved or suspended in the liquid-phase oxidation reaction mixture, and a high-pressure vapour phase containing a solvent - monocarboxylic acid, water and small amounts of the initial aromatic hydrocarbon and by-products; transferring the high-pressure vapour phase from the reaction section into a separation section sprinkled by a liquid reflux containing water and capable of almost completely separating the solvent - monocarboxylic acid and water in the high-pressure vapour phase to form a liquid rich in solvent - monocarboxylic acid and depleted of water, high-pressure gas containing water vapour; transferring the high-pressure gas containing water vapour from the separation section without processing to remove organic impurities into a condensation section and condensation of the high-pressure gas to form a liquid condensate containing water and exhaust gas from the condensation section under pressure, containing non-condensed high-pressure gas components, transferred into the condensation section; removal from the condensation section of a liquid condensate containing water and suitable for use without further processing as at least one liquid containing water in a method of purifying aromatic carboxylic acids; and feeding the liquid condensate containing water removed from the condensation section during purification of aromatic carboxylic acids in which at least one step includes: (a) preparing a purification reaction solution containing an aromatic carboxylic acid and impurities which are dissolved or suspended in a liquid containing water; (b) bringing the purification reaction solution containing aromatic carboxylic acid and impurities in the liquid containing water, at high temperature and pressure, into contact with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst to form a liquid purification reaction mixture; (c) separating the solid purified product containing carboxylic acid from the liquid purification reaction mixture containing aromatic carboxylic acid and impurities in the liquid containing water; and (d) using at least one liquid containing water to wash the obtained purified solid aromatic carboxylic acid separated from the liquid purification reaction mixture containing aromatic carboxylic acid, impurities and the liquid containing water; such that the liquid containing water on at least one step of the purification method contains a liquid condensate containing water and which needs processing to remove organic impurities.
EFFECT: invention also relates to apparatus for producing aromatic carboxylic acids.
44 cl, 2 dwg
