Method for purifying tetrahydrofuran by distillation

US7351311B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Gunther Windecker · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Alexander Weck · Freinsheim, DE
• Rolf Fischer · Heidelberg, DE
• Markus Rösch · Oppenheim, DE
• Nils Bottke · Ludwigshafen am Rhein, DE
• Michael Hesse · Westlake Village, US
• Stephan Schlitter · Schifferstadt, DE
• Holger Borchert · Offstein, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 28, 2003
• Grant date: Apr 1, 2008
• Expiry date: Jan 9, 2024

Classification

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

Abstract

Crude water-containing tetrahydrofuran is purified by passing the crude tetrahydrofuran through three distillation columns, withdrawing water from the bottom of the first column, recycling water-containing tetrahydrofuran from the top of the second column into the first column, passing a sidestream of the first column into the second column, recycling the bottom product of the third column into the first column, and withdrawing a distillate at the top of the first column. Additionally, a sidestream of the second column is passed into the third column and the purified tetrahydrofuran is recovered as the top product of the third column.