GB753572A - Method for the preparation of anhydrous acetone - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0753572/III/1> Acetone in substantially pure form is recovered from the gases and vapours from reactors for the catalytic synthesis of acetone by passing these gases and vapours directly to a distillation column 1 having 30-50 plates at b, condensing acetone from the overhead product at 2, 3 and returning the condensed acetone in part as reflux by line d, scrubbing the uncondensed vapours and gases at 5 and returning the acetone-containing washings by line h, after preheating with the column bottoms at 4, to an intermediate part of the column. In a modification part of the reactor effluent is condensed and passed to the column by line p. The whole, or substantially the whole of the necessary heat is supplied by the sensible and latent heat of the reactor effluent. Product acetone may also be removed by line j. In another arrangement (Fig. 2, not shown), the column 1 is extended downwards to provide a stripping section, the reactor effluent being fed to the column above this section after passing through a reboiler for the column bottoms. The condensate from the reboiler may be recycled to the column.