Separation of alcohol from alcohol/ether/olefin/non-linear hydrocarbon mixtures using polyester or polyester copolymer membranes
AssigneeExxon Research & Engineering Co.
InventorsJoseph L. Feimer, Charles P. Darnell, W. S. Winston Ho
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Mixtures comprising alcohol/ether/non-linear hydrocarbon are separated using polyester or polyester polyimide copolymer membranes. The mixture is contacted under pervaporation conditions with the membrane and the alcohol selectively permeates through the membrane. In this way alcohol especially C.sub.1 -C.sub.10, preferably C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alcohols can be effectively removed from the synthesis solutions used for the production of high value ethers such as methyl-tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) or tertiary-amyl methyl ether (TAME) used as octane enhancers in motor fuels.
Claims8
A method for separating alcohols from a feed mixture comprising alcohols/ethers/olefins/non-linear hydrocarbons, said method comprising contacting said feed mixture with a dense film non-porous polyimide/aliphatic polyester copolymer membrane, made from copolymers comprising polyimide segments and oligomeric aliphatic polyester segments, under pervaporation conditions and recovering alcohol as the permeate.
A method for separating ether from a feed mixtures containing ether and hydrocarbons, said method comprising contacting said feed mixture with a polyimide/aliphatic polyester copolymer membrane, made from copolymers comprising polyimide segments and oligomeric aliphatic polyester segments, under pervaporation conditions and recovering the ether as the permeate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.