Alkylene oxide purification processes and systems

US8845863B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Dow Technology Investments LLC · US

Inventors

• Clarence P. Stadlwieser · Sherwood Park, CA
• Bernie B. Osborne · Hurricane, US
• John P. Dever · Kenner, US
• Harvey E. Andresen · Luling, US
• Michael L. Hutchison · Poca, US
• Gary Culp · Hermiston, US
• Steven R. Osborne · Canal Fulton, US
• Liping Zhang · Portland, US
• Michael Habenschuss · South Charleston, US
• Andrew Addie · Louisville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 24, 2009
• Grant date: Sep 30, 2014
• Expiry date: Jun 8, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07D301/32
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Processes and systems for purifying ethylene oxide, including introducing a feed stream including ethylene oxide to a heat exchanger to heat the feed stream, feeding the heated feed stream to a distillation apparatus base below a first stage, removing from the distillation apparatus an impurity fraction as a top exit stream from the distillation apparatus located at a top take-off on the distillation apparatus, removing from the distillation apparatus an ethylene oxide stream of 99.7 weight percent purity, based on the total weight of the ethylene oxide stream, from the distillation apparatus, and removing from the distillation apparatus an aldehyde enriched fraction as a bottom stream from the distillation apparatus, where the aldehyde enriched fraction is fed directly to a glycol reactor.