| abstract |
A method for the continuous, catalytic production of an aromatic carboxylic acid product by liquid-phase, exothermic oxidaion of an aromatic alkyl with an oxygen-containing gas and a solvent medium in an oxidation reactor and utilizing reverse osmosis is disclosed. In particular, a multiple ingredient or component-containing slurry product stream is withdrawn from the reactor, the slurry product stream is then separated to produce a product-containing stream and at least one mother liquor stream which contains, in addition to a number of desirable process stream components, such as oxidation reaction catalysts, a number of undesirable process stream impurities. The impurities are selectively removed from the mother liquor stream by passing at least a portion of the mother liquor stream through a reverse osmosis separation device to produce a catalyst-bearing stream having a relatively lesser impurities-to-catalyst weight ratio and a purge stream having a relatively greater impurities-to-catalyst weight ratio. |