Process for preparing propylene oxide

US10435381B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• BASF SE
• DOW GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC · US

Inventors

• Joaquim Henrique Teles · Waldsee, DE
• Marvin KRAMP · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Christian Mueller · Wiesbaden, DE
• Nicolai Tonio Woerz · Darmstadt, DE
• Bernd Metzen · Ludwigshafen am Rhein, DE
• Tobias Keller · Dittelsheim-Heßloch, DE
• Dominic RIEDEL · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Heiner Schelling · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Markus Weber · Langenfeld, DE
• Daniel Urbanczyk · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Andrei-Nicolae Parvulescu · Ludwigshafen am Rhein, DE
• Ulrike Wegerle · Worms, DE
• Ulrich Mueller · Hamburg, DE
• Meinolf Weidenbach · Stade, DE
• Werner J. Witzl · Stade, DE
• Karsten Luecke · Buxtehude, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 19, 2017
• Grant date: Oct 8, 2019
• Expiry date: Jul 19, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P20/52
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention is related to a process for preparing propylene oxide, comprising (i) providing a stream comprising propene, hydrogen peroxide or a source of hydrogen peroxide, water, and an organic solvent; (ii) passing the liquid feed stream provided in (i) into an epoxidation zone comprising an epoxidation catalyst comprising a titanium zeolite, and subjecting the liquid feed stream to epoxidation reaction conditions in the epoxidation zone, obtaining a reaction mixture comprising propene, propylene oxide, water, and the organic solvent; (iii) removing an effluent stream from the epoxidation zone, the effluent stream comprising propylene oxide, water, organic solvent, and propene; (iv) separating propene from the effluent stream by distillation, comprising (iv.1) subjecting the effluent stream to distillation conditions in a distillation unit, obtaining a gaseous top stream S0 enriched in propene compared to the effluent stream subjected to distillation conditions, and a liquid bottoms stream S01 enriched in propylene oxide, water and organic solvent compared to the effluent stream subjected to distillation conditions; (iv.2) returning a condensed portion of the stream S0 …