Controlled alkali treatment in the recovery of methyl tertiary butyl ether
US5616217A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 17, 1995 |
| Grant date | Apr 1, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 17, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S203/24
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
In the manufacture of MTBE from TBA and methanol, acidic by-products formed during the etherification reaction are removed by fractionating the etherification reaction product in a first MTBE distillation column to provide a first lower boiling distillation fraction comprising isobutylene, MTBE, methanol and acidic by-products and a first higher boiling distillation fraction comprising methanol, TBA and water, fractionating the first higher boiling distillation fraction in a recycle distillation column to provide a lower boiling TBA recycle fraction and a higher boiling water fraction, recycling the higher boiling water fraction to the MTBE distillation column at a charge point above the charge point for the etherification reaction product, and adding aqueous sodium hydroxide to the recycled higher boiling water fraction in an amount sufficient to neutralize the acidic by-products charged to the MTBE distillation column.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.