Process and apparatus for manufacturing aromatic carboxylic acids

1. A continuous process for preparing aromatic carboxylic acids which process comprises:

(a) oxidizing an aromatic feedstock compound to an aromatic carboxylic acid in a liquid-phase reaction mixture comprising water, a low-molecular weight monocarboxylic acid solvent, a heavy metal oxidation catalyst and a source of molecular oxygen, under reaction conditions which produce a gaseous high pressure overhead stream comprising water, gaseous by-products, and gaseous low-molecular weight monocarboxylic acid solvent;

(b) separating a solvent monocarboxylic acid-rich first liquid phase and a water-rich second liquid phase comprising dissolved oxygen and methyl bromide; and

(c) reducing the amount of at least one of dissolved oxygen and methyl bromide present in the second liquid phase to form a treated second liquid phase.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises flashing the second liquid phase to reduce the amount of at least one of dissolved oxygen and methyl bromide.

3. The process of claim 2 , wherein flashing the second liquid phase results in a drop in pressure from about 5 kg/cm 2 to about 40 kg/cm 2 to about atmospheric or ambient pressure.

4. The process of claim 2 , wherein flashing the second liquid phase results in a drop in pressure from about 10 kg/cm 2 to about 20 kg/cm 2 to about atmospheric or ambient pressure.

5. The process of claim 2 , wherein the amount of dissolved oxygen in the second liquid phase is reduced from an amount of about 2.2 ppmw to an amount of less than about 1.0 ppmw after flashing.

6. The process of claim 2 , wherein the amount of dissolved oxygen in the second liquid phase is reduced from an amount of about 2.2 ppmw to an amount of less than about 0.5 ppmw after flashing.

7. The process of claim 2 , wherein the amount of dissolved oxygen in the second liquid phase is reduced from an amount of about 2.2 ppmw to an amount of less than about 0.05 ppmw after flashing.

8. The process of claim 2 , wherein the amount of dissolved oxygen in the second liquid phase is reduced from an amount of about 2.2 ppmw to an amount of less than about 0.006 ppmw after flashing.

9. The process of claim 2 , wherein the amount of dissolved methyl bromide in the second liquid phase is reduced from an amount of about 0.03 ppmw to an amount of less than about 0.02 ppmw after flashing.

10. The process of claim 2 , wherein the amount of dissolved methyl bromide in the second liquid phase is reduced from an amount of about 0.03 ppmw to an amount of less than about 0.01 ppmw after flashing.

11. The process of claim 2 , wherein the amount of dissolved methyl bromide in the second liquid phase is reduced from an amount of about 0.03 ppmw to an amount of less than about 0.009 ppmw after flashing.

12. The process of claim 2 , wherein the amount of dissolved methyl bromide in the second liquid phase is reduced from an amount of about 0.03 ppmw to an amount of less than about 0.006 ppmw after flashing.

13. The process of claim 2 further comprises a step of steam stripping the second liquid phase after flashing.

14. The process of claim 2 further comprises a step of stripping the second liquid phase with nitrogen after flashing.

15. The process of claim 1 , wherein the treated second liquid phase is suitable for use as liquid comprising water in one or more steps of a process for purifying impure forms of aromatic carboxylic acid.

16. The process of claim 1 , wherein the treated second liquid phase is suitable for use as a seal flush.

17. The process of claim 1 , further comprising

(d) forming a purification solution comprising the treated second liquid phase and the aromatic carboxylic acid;

(e) introducing the purification solution into a hydrogenation reactor, and;

(f) purifying the aromatic carboxylic acid in the hydrogenation reactor.