Phenol From Cumene
Phenol From Cumene
22.2.1 Reactions
Process Description:
• Fresh cumene is mixed with hydrogenated unreacted cumene, cumene + alpha methyl styrene
(recycle streams).
• The pre-purification step involves converting unsaturates such as alpha methyl styrene and others
to saturates. This is done by using nickel catalyst at 100°C and feeding hydrogen to the pre-purification
reactor. The product from this unit then mixes with the fresh cumene.
• The fresh cumene and processed cumene and alpha methyl styrene are fed to the oxidation reactor.
The oxidation reactor refers to a gas liquid reaction between air (Oxygen) and the cumene.
• After reaction, vent gases are condensed and recycled back and the product is sent to a cleavage
unit.
• The cleavage unit consists of a stirrer and is fed with fresh and recycled H2SO4 aqueous solution to
enable the hydrolysis of cumene hydroperoxide.
• The product streams from the cleavage unit enter a settler (phase separator) which upon gravity
settling yields two streams namely the acid rich aqueous stream and the phenol rich organic stream.
• The aqueous stream consists of the sulphuric acid and is sent back to the cleavage unit as a recycle
stream.
• The organic stream consists of cumene (unreacted), phenol (product), acetone (side product), alpha
methyl styrene (side product) and acetophenone (side product).
• The organic stream from the gravity settler unit then enters a scrubber fed with water. In this
operation, water extracts the remaining acids in the organic stream and produces crude phenol
stream. Water leaving the unit consists of acidified wash water.
• The crude phenol then enters a distillation unit that separates acetone from the other components.
• The bottom product from this distillation column enters a vacuum distillation column that produces
cumene as a top product.
• The bottom product from the distillation column enters another vacuum distillation unit to produce
alpha methyl styrene.
• The bottom product of this distillation column enters the final vacuum distillation unit to produce
phenol as top product and acetophenone as the bottom product.