Ethanol

Abstract

The direct hydration process involves the catalytic addition of water to ethylene. Phosphoric acid is commonly used as the catalyst. The reaction is exothermic operating at about 3000C and 69 bar. Unconverted gases are separated from ethanol in the ethano 1 scrubber and recyc 1ed to the reactor feed stream. Oil ute aqueous ethanol (15 to 20 weight percent) is then fed to the stripper where light by-products are removed. Stripper bottoms are passed to the ethanol azeotrope tower where 190 proof ethanol products are removed and sent to storage facilities. Overall process yield to ethanol is about 98.5 mol percent.