Process for distilling ethylene oxide

US6123812A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Bernd Bessling · Grünstadt, DE
• Sebastian Zeck · Freinsheim, DE
• Jürgen Plückhan · Bischofswerda, DE
• Thomas Mayer · Reutlingen, DE
• Ulrich Loffler · Schifferstadt, DE
• Gunter Spiegel · Worms, DE
• Rubens Ballenweg · Weinheim, DE
• Gerhard Brudi · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Klaus Gieselberg · Laumersheim, DE
• Lutz Hilprecht · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Winfried Terjung · Dinslaken, DE
• Heinz Auer · Neulußheim, DE
• Axel Werner Polt · Deidesheim, DE
• Stephan Scholl · Bad Dürkheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 18, 1998
• Grant date: Sep 26, 2000
• Expiry date: May 18, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S203/20
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process for distilling ethylene oxide out of a mixture including ethylene oxide in a column at an absolute pressure of from 2 to 10 bar and a temperature of 20 to 180.degree. C. by withdrawing pure ethylene oxide in the liquid or gaseous state overhead or via a sidestream in the rectifying section of the column includes effecting the distillation in a column having on its inside a plurality of successive zones of structured sheet-metal packing or dumped beds of packing elements, these zones being assigned one or more extinguishing systems on the outside of the column.