Process for the manufacture of methyl tert.-butyl ether

US4503264A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Davy McKee Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventor

• Ghazi R. Al-Muddarris · Cologne, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 16, 1982
• Grant date: Mar 5, 1985
• Expiry date: Aug 16, 2002

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P20/129
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process is disclosed for producing methyl tert.-butyl ether wherein n-butane is isomerized to isobutane which is then catalytically dehydrogenated to form an isobutane/isobutene mixture, while natural gas is reformed to form synthesis gas containing CO and H.sub.2 which is in turn converted to methanol, the resulting methanol and isobutene in the isobutane/isobutene mixture being etherified to form methyl tert.-butyl ether. Isobutane is then separated from the resulting etherification mixture and is recycled to the dehydrogenation stage. Secondary product gases from at least one of the isomerization, dehydrogenation and methanol synthesis stages are combusted and used to produce superheated steam at high pressure which is expanded to a medium pressure by expansion through at least one first back-pressure turbine coupled to a corresponding compressor or compressors for compression of at least one of the synthesis gas and of the dehydrogenation product gas, while resulting medium pressure steam is expanded in turn through at least one second back-pressure turbine to low pressure steam in excess of atmospheric pressure, such low pressure steam being utilized for heating process appa…