Pervaporation process for separating alcohols from ethers
US4774365A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 25, 1987 |
| Grant date | Sep 27, 1988 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 25, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC07C41/34
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The present invention is an improved process for separating alcohols from ethers and/or hydrocarbon raffinate in an etherification process. The excess alcohol reactant, which forms azeotrope mixtures with the product ethers and C.sub.4 -C.sub.7 raffinate, is removed by passing the liquid azeotrope mixture over a pervaporation membrane which effectively breaks the azeotrope and permeates the alcohol with high flux and high selectivity. In a typical etherification process, one or more pervaporation membrane units can be located ahead of the ether/raffinate distillation step, in conjunction with the distillation step with a liquid side draw, after the distillation step, or a combination of any of the above. The present invention also provides an improved process for separating alcohols from ethers and/or hydrocarbon raffinate in an ether decomposition process for the production of high purity iso-alkene products. In this embodiment, one or more pervaporation membranes are used to recover alcohols from the decomposition product stream.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.