Abstract:
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE AMOUNT OF CARBON DEPOSITED ON A CATALYST, SUCH AS A HYDROCARBON CRACKING CATALYST, INCLUDING COMBINATION MEANS, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A CATALYST HAVING CARBON DEPOSITS INTO THE COMBUSTION MEANS, MEANS FOR DETERMINING AND RECORDING THE AMOUNT OF CARBON BURNED OFF THE CATALYST, AND MEANS FOR PURGING THE SYSTEM.
Abstract:
A process for the production of aromatic carboxylic acids comprises catalytically oxidizing with molecular oxygen at an elevated temperature a substituted aromatic stock in the liquid phase in presence of a C2-8 aliphatic monocarboxylic acid as solvent, collecting a gaseous stream containing solvent vapours from the oxidation zone and condensing a part of them by cooling and returning the condensed part to said zone, recovering the remaining solvent (1) in the gaseous stream by scrubbing with water or aqueous solvent, withdrawing a product-containing liquid effluent from said zone and crystallizing product therefrom in a plurality of series-converted zones by removal of solvent vapours at successively lower temperatures and pressures, recovering an aqueous solvent stream (2) from such vapours, withdrawing a slurry of product crystals in mother liquor from the first crystallizing zone and separating crystals from mother liquor, fractionating the latter to recover aqueous solvent (3), combining the aqueous solvent streams (1), (2) and (3) and fractionating to obtain a dehydrated solvent stream which is used for washing the product crystals and/or charging to the oxidation zone. The process is stated to be particularly suitable for converting mixed xylenes or mixed toluic acids to mixed benzene dicarboxylic acids in such a form that they may be separated into substantially pure phthalic acid (or anhydride), isophthalic acid and terephthalic acid. The usual catalysts and promoters are mentioned. Specifications 807,091, 835,733, 970,492 and U.S.A. Specification 2,416,344 are referred to.