Process for removal of impurities in alkyl nitrite formation

A process for removing impurities from the effluent of an alkyl nitrite production zone comprising:

• (a) contacting at least a portion of the gaseous product stream containing nitric oxide, alkyl nitrite and impurities recovered from an alkyl nitrite production zone, a lower alcohol and oxygen in a reaction zone to produce a recovery stream substantially free of nitric oxide, said oxygen being present in said reaction zone in an amount such that the mole ratio of nitric oxide to oxygen in said reaction zone is in the range of from about 4:1 to about 2:1 and said lower alcohol being present in said reaction zone in an amount such that the mole ratio of nitric oxide to lower alcohol is about 1:1 or less;
• (b) withdrawing said recovery stream from said reaction zone, said recovery stream containing alkyl nitrite and impurities and being substantially free of nitric oxide;
• (c) supplying said recovery stream to a scrubbing means;
• (d) supplying liquid scrubbing agent to said scrubbing means;
• (e) withdrawing a bottoms stream from said scrubbing means comprising at least a portion of the alkyl nitrite supplied to said scrubbing means together with said scrubbing agent;
• and
• (f) withdrawing an overhead stream from said scrubbing means.

A process for removing impurities from a production cycle comprising one or more reactions steps, wherein one of the reaction steps is the production of alkyl nitrite by contacting nitric oxide, oxygen and lower alcohol, comprising:

• (a) contacting at least a portion of the gaseous product stream containing nitric oxide, alkyl nitrite and impurities recovered from an alkyl nitrite production zone, a lower alcohol and oxygen in a reaction zone to produce a recovery stream substantially free of nitric oxide, said oxygen being present in said reaction zone in an amount such that the mole ratio of nitric oxide to oxygen in said reaction zone is in the range of from about 4:1 to about 2:1 and said lower alcohol being present in said reaction zone in an amount such that the mole ratio of nitric oxide to lower alcohol is about 1:1 or less;
• (b) withdrawing said recovery stream from said reaction zone, said recovery stream containing alkyl nitrite and impurities and being substantially free of nitric oxide;
• (c) removing at least a portion of the alkyl nitrite from said recovery stream;
• and
• (d) purging at least a portion of said recovery stream from which the alkyl nitrite has been removed.