PROCESSES FOR PURIFICATION OF SUCCINIC ACID VIA DISTILLATION
Processes for removing color bodies from crude succinic acid comprising distillation of crude succinic acid and collecting the distillate in a water-containing receiver. The color bodies substantially remain in the distillation bottoms and the purified succinic acid in the water-containing receiver is substantially free of color bodies.
1 . A process for removing color bodies from crude SA comprising:
a) providing crude SA;
b) distilling the crude SA such that the color bodies substantially remain as distillation bottoms resulting from a distillation vessel; and
c) recovering in a water-containing receiver purified SA substantially free of color bodies.
2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the crude SA is molten.
3 . The process of claim 1 , wherein an amount of water in the water-containing receiver is greater than or equal to the amount of crude SA.
4 . The process of claim 3 , wherein an amount of water in the water-containing receiver is greater than or equal to twice the amount of the crude SA.
5 . The process of claim 1 , wherein temperature of the water in water-containing receiver is below about 30° C.
6 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the water-containing receiver is agitated.
7 . The process of claim 6 , wherein the water-containing receiver is agitated with a stirrer.
8 . The process of claim 6 , wherein the water-containing receiver is agitated by a pump around loop.
9 . The process of claim 8 , wherein a return line of the pump around loop is sprayed into the water-containing receiver forming a quench zone.
10 . The process of claim 1 , wherein a portion SA dehydrates to succinic anhydride.
11 . The process of claim 1 , wherein step (b) is conducted under vacuum.
12 . The process of claim 11 , wherein absolute pressure is about 500 to about 1 torr.
13 . The process of claim 11 , wherein absolute pressure is about 100 to about 50 torr.
14 . The process of claim 1 , wherein a Yellowness index in methanol of the crude SA is greater than about 10.
15 . The process of claim 14 , wherein a Yellowness index in methanol of the crude SA is greater than about 12.
16 . The process of claim 1 , wherein a Yellowness index in methanol of purified SA is less than about 5.
17 . The process of claim 16 , wherein the Yellowness index in methanol of the purified SA is less than about 1.
18 . The process of claim 1 , wherein step (b) is performed in batch or continuous mode.
19 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising:
d) separating the purified SA.
20 . The process of claim 1 , wherein purified SA is a white slurry.
21 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the crude SA is fermentation derived.
22 . A process for removing color bodies from crude SA comprising:
a) providing crude SA;
b) sublimating the crude SA in a sublimation vessel such that the color bodies substantially remain as residue in a sublimation vessel;
c) recovering purified SA substantially free of color bodies.