Process for the recovery of acetic acid

1. A process for the recovery of acetic acid, comprising:

extracting acetic acid from an aqueous solution by liquid/liquid extraction of the aqueous solution with a low-boiling-point solvent to form an extract, the low-boiling-point solvent having a boiling point lower than acetic acid, and the extract comprises at least acetic acid, the low-boiling-point solvent, water, and high-boiling-point compounds; and

distilling the extract from the extracting step in a dividing-wall column or in a Petlyuk column to obtain:

(i) a top product comprising the low-boiling-point solvent and optionally water;

(ii) at least one intermediate fraction comprising from 50% to 100% by weight of acetic acid and optionally water; and

(iii) a bottom product comprising high-boiling compounds or a mixture of high-boiling compounds and acetic acid.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution comprises between 20% and 40% by weight of acetic acid.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution results from a process for the acetylation of wood pulp.

4. The process as claimed in claim 3 , wherein acetic acid recovered, in at least one intermediate fraction, by distilling the extract is recycled in the process for the acetylation of wood pulp.

5. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the low-boiling-point solvent is selected from the group consisting of the ethers, alcohols, acetates, and ketones.

6. The process as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the low-boiling-point solvent is selected from the group consisting of diethyl ether, methyl tert-butyl ether, isopropyl alcohol, isopropyl acetate, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate and methyl ethyl ketone.

7. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pressure of the column is atmospheric pressure.

8. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the temperature range within the column between the top of the column and the bottom of the column is between 20° C. and 130° C.

9. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the low-boiling-point solvent is recovered after distillation of the extract by settling of a solvent/water mixture exiting at the column top.

10. The process as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the low-boiling-point solvent is recycled in the extraction stage.

11. A process for the recovering and recycling of acetic acid, comprising:

extracting acetic acid from an aqueous solution that comprises between 20% and 40% by weight of acetic acid by liquid/liquid extraction of the aqueous solution with a low-boiling-point solvent having a boiling point less than the boiling point of acetic acid and selected from ethers, alcohols, acetates, and ketones, and

distilling low-boiling-point solvent extract from the extracting step in a dividing-wall distillation column or in a Petlyuk distillation column to obtain:

(i) a top product comprising low-boiling-point solvent and from 0% to 10% by weight water,

(ii) at least one intermediate fraction comprising from 50% to 100% by weight of acetic acid and optionally water, and

(iii) a bottom product comprising high-boiling compounds or a mixture of high-boiling compounds and acetic acid,

recovering low-boiling-point solvent from the top product,

recycling recovered low-boiling-point solvent in the step of extracting, and

recycling the at least one intermediate fraction in a process for the acetylation of wood pulp.

12. The process of claim 11 , wherein the bottom product comprises a mixture of high-boiling compounds and acetic acid and the process further comprises:

recovering acetic acid from the bottom product, and

recycling acetic acid recovered from the bottom product in the process for the acetylation of wood pulp.

13. The process of claim 1 , wherein the extracted acetic acid has a purity of about 99% or greater.

14. The process of claim 11 , wherein the low-boiling-point solvent extract comprises at least acetic acid, the low-boiling-point solvent, water, and high-boiling-point compounds.

15. The process of claim 1 , wherein the extract comprises more of the low-boiling-point solvent than the acetic acid.

16. The process of claim 11 , wherein the low-boiling-point solvent extract comprises more of the low-boiling-point solvent than the acetic acid.

17. The process of claim 1 , wherein the extract comprises less than 16 wt. % of the acetic acid prior to distilling in the dividing-wall column or the Petlyuk column.

18. The process of claim 11 , wherein the low-boiling-point solvent extract comprises less than 16 wt. % of the acetic acid prior to distilling in the dividing-wall distillation column or the Petlyuk distillation column.