Question

Can the D product of a formaldehyde plant distillation column contain 40% water of the total feed water in addition to methanol .

Answer 1

In a distillation column, the distillate product is the product from the top of the distillation column.

In a formaldehyde process, following two reactions take place:

1. Methanol + oxygen --> Formaldehyde + H2O

CH3OH + 0.5O2 --> HCHO + H2O

2. Methanol --> Formaldehyde + hydrogen

CH3OH --> HCHO + H2O

So top liquid product of the distillation column will be a mixture of water, formaldehyde(If column is very inefficient) and unreacted methanol (if any).

Depending upon the fractionation efficiency, composition of the distillate or bottom product will vary.

Thus if distillation column is inefficient enough then distillate product from top can have 40% of the feed water in addition to methanol.