Process for the epoxidation of propene

US10428036B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• EVONIK DEGUSSA GMBH · DE
• THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS AG · DE

Inventors

• Willi Hofen · Rodenbach, DE
• Thomas Haas · Munster, DE
• Wolfgang Wöll · Maintal, DE
• Bärbel Kolbe · Witten, DE
• Hans-Christian Dietz · Hattersheim, DE
• Marc Brendel · Bruchköbel, DE
• Bernd Jaeger · Emmelshausen, DE
• Manfred Bärz · Alzenau, DE
• Michael Kleiber · Hattersheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 25, 2016
• Grant date: Oct 1, 2019
• Expiry date: Nov 25, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B01J23/30
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

In a process for the epoxidation of propene, comprising the steps of reacting propene with hydrogen peroxide, separating propene oxide and a recovered propene stream from the reaction mixture, separating propane from all or a part of the recovered propene stream in a C3 splitter column, and passing the overhead product stream of the C3 splitter column to the epoxidation step, a propane starting material with a propane fraction of from 0.002 to 0.10 is used, the epoxidation is operated to provide a propane fraction in the reaction mixture of from 0.05 to 0.20 and the C3 splitter column is operated to provide an overhead product stream which comprises a propane fraction of at least 0.04 in order to reduce the size and the energy consumption of the C3 splitter column.