Part-stream distillation

US10316007B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• BASF SE
• DOW GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC · US

Inventors

• Joaquim Henrique Teles · Waldsee, DE
• Dominic RIEDEL · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Bianca Seelig · Cologne, DE
• Philip Kampe · Singapore, SG
• Markus Weber · Langenfeld, DE
• Alexander Schroeder · Wattenheim, DE
• Andrei-Nicolae Parvulescu · Ludwigshafen am Rhein, DE
• Ulrich Mueller · Hamburg, DE
• Daniel Urbanczyk · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Meinolf Weidenbach · Stade, DE
• Werner J. Witzl · Stade, DE
• Holger Baer · Fredenbeck, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 27, 2015
• Grant date: Jun 11, 2019
• Expiry date: Oct 27, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07D303/04
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A continuous process for preparing propylene oxide proceeds by (a) reacting propene with hydrogen peroxide in a reaction apparatus in the presence acetonitrile as solvent, obtaining a stream S0 containing propylene oxide, acetonitrile, water, at least one further component B; (b) separating propylene oxide from S0, obtaining stream S1 containing acetonitrile, water and B; (c) dividing S1 into streams S2 and S3; (d) subjects S3 to vapor-liquid fractionation in a first fractionation unit, obtaining vapor fraction stream S4a being depleted, relative to S3, of at least one of B and obtaining liquid bottoms stream S4b, and subjecting at least part of vapor fraction stream S4a to vapor-liquid fractionation in a second fractionation unit, obtaining vapor fraction stream S4c and liquid bottoms stream S4 being depleted, relative to S4a, of at least one of B; (e) recycling at least a portion of S4 to (a).