Process for manufacture of alkaline earth acetates

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As shown in FIG.
1, the process for Producing alkaline earth acetates employs a biomass feed 10, which is treated as may be necessary by reagents 12 in an optional pretreatment operation 14, and then fermented anaerobically by acetic acid-forming microorganisms in a fermenter 16 to produce dilute acetic acid solution, typically at a concentration of about 3.
5% is transferred via line 18 to extractor 20, where 3.
5%.
This acetic acid is extracted from the fermentation broth with the aid of an extracting medium 21 containing organic solvent and a liquid ion exchanger.
The resulting organic phase, typically containing approximately 10% acetic acid plus liquid ion exchanger, is transferred via line 22 to a reactor 24 where it is treated directly with an alkaline earth-containing basic material 26 to recover the acetic acid from the organic phase and simultaneously convert it to the desired alkaline earth acetate product 28.
At this point in the process, product 28 is located primarily in the aqueous phase.
The organic and aqueous phases from reactor 24 are transferred via line 30 to settling/separation tank 32, where they are separated, and the aqueous phase which contains the product alkaline earth acetate is conveyed via line 34 to a spray dryer 36 or other suitable device for removal of the water.
The separated organic phase containing the organic solvent and liquid ion exchanger is recycled to extractor 20 via line 38.
The solids from fermenter 16 are conveyed via line 40 to a wash unit 42, which also receives the aqueous phase from extractor 20 via line 44.
The washings are recycled via line 46 to the fermenter.
After being washed, the fermenter solids are conveyed via line 48 to boiler 50 where they are burned to produce steam and hot air.
The steam is recycled back into the process via line 52, while the hot air at about 600.
degree.
C.
is conveyed to the driers 36 via line 54.
Biomass feed 10 may be any of a wide variety of organic waste materials.
Among these are woody biomass such as forest residues which are not suitable for lumber or paper pulp, sewage sludge residues, municipal solid waste, and selected industrial organic waste such as paper manufacture waste, and whey