Process for the continuous separation of water from methyl tert-butyl ether mixtures
AssigneeDeutsche Texaco Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsGunther Osterburg, Milan Prezelj
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Abstract
An energy saving process for purification of methyl tertbutyl ether by fractional distillation of a mixture containing dissolved water and C.sub.4 hydrocarbons characterized by phase separation of water and methyl tertiary butyl ether within the distillation column and withdrawal of the separated water phase from the column at a point below the point at which the mixture is supplied to the column.
Claims1
In a process for the separation of methyl tert-butyl ether from a mixture comprising methyl tert-butyl ether, water and C.sub.4 hydrocarbons by fractional distillation in a distillation column having means for vaporization of liquid at the base of the column and means for condensing vapors passing overhead therefrom and for returning a portion of the resultant condensate to the top of the column as reflux, the improvement which comprises:
- (a) introducing a feed mixture comprising C.sub.4 hydrocarbons and methyl tert-butyl ether containing dissolved water into the distillation column at a feed point intermediate the base and top of the column,
- (b) distilling C.sub.4 hydrocarbon overhead with entrained water vapor,
- (c) condensing the distillate vapors with the formation of two immiscible liquid phases comprising a first water-rich phase and a C.sub.4 -rich phase,
- (d) returning a portion of the C.sub.4 -rich phase to the top of the column as reflux,
- (e) collecting a second water-rich phase and an immiscible methyl tert-butyl ether-rich phase at a point in the column below the feed point and above the base of the column,
- (f) withdrawing the second water-rich phase from the distillation column, and
- (g) recovering methyl tert-butyl ether substantially freed from dissolved water from the base of the column.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.