Process and apparatus for removing aldehydes from acetone
The present invention relates to process and apparatus for removing aldehydes from acetone. More specifically, the present invention relates to a process and apparatus for removing aldehydes from acetone by reacting the aldehydes with caustic in an acetone column and washing the organic phase with a plurality of water streams.
1. A process for removing aldehydes from acetone, comprising:
introducing a feed stream containing at least one organic compound in a column;
introducing an aqueous caustic scrubbing solution into the column;
introducing a first water stream into a lower portion of the column;
introducing a second water stream into the lower portion of the column;
removing spent aqueous caustic and aldehyde solution from the column; and
removing an organic product from an upper portion of the column having a reduced level of aldehydes relative to the feed stream.
2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the feed stream comprises acetone, cumene, water, and aldehydes.
3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the organic compound is acetone.
4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the process removes about 99% of aldehydes.
5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the caustic scrubbing solution contains about 0.5 wt % caustic to about 20 wt % caustic.
6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the caustic scrubbing solution contains about 1% of caustic.
7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the column is a finished acetone column.
8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the column is operated at a pressure from about −0.50 kg/cm2(g) to about 2.0 kg/cm2(g) and a temperature from about 40° C. to about 100° C.
9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the first water stream comprises water and about 10% acetone.
10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the second water stream is 100% water and is introduced to the column at a rate of 0.1 kg water/kg acetone product to about 0.4 kg water/kg acetone product.
11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the aldehydes react with acetone, catalyzed by the caustic scrubbing solution inside the column to form an aldol or heavy, soluble in the cumene-rich organic phase, which is rejected to the bottom of the column.