Gasoline production
AssigneeChevron Research Company
InventorsJacob D. Kemp, Robert P. Sieg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for producing a high-octane gasoline having reduced smog-forming tendencies, which comprises: A. thermally dehydrogenating-cracking isobutane to obtain propylene and isobutene; B. hydrating propylene to obtain isopropanol; C. etherating the isopropanol with the isobutene to obtain t-butyl isopropyl ether; and D. blending the t-butyl isopropyl ether with gasoline-boiling-range hydrocarbons. Preferably the thermal dehydrogenation is carried out under conditions, specifically including a temperature between about 1125.degree. and 1275.degree. F., to produce a molar ratio of isobutene to propylene between 1.0 and 1.25.
Claims1
In a process for producing a high-octane gasoline by blending a hydrocarbon mixture of the gasoline range with an ether, the improvement which comprises:
- a. thermally dehydrogenating-cracking isobutane to obtain a mixture of propylene and isobutene;
- b. separating the mixture into an isobutene-rich stream and a propylene-rich stream;
- c. hydrating with a solid acidic hydration catalyst the propylene-rich stream to obtain isopropanol;
- d. etherating the isopropanol with the isobutene-rich stream to obtain t-butyl isopropyl ether;
- and
- e. blending the t-butyl isopropyl ether with gasoline-boiling-range hydrocarbons.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.