Reaction and distillation device and etherification process

A process for preparing at least one tertiary alkyl ether by reaction of at least one aliphatic monoalcohol and of at least one olefin, comprising:

• a) contacting in a reaction section at least one olefin and at least one aliphatic alcohol,
• b) introducing, through at least one circulating means, the major part of the effluent of said reaction section into a distillation-reaction section comprising a distillation column and at least one distillation-reaction column, said at least one distillation-reaction column comprising at least one catalyst bed, said distillation-reaction column being distinct from the distillation column and providing at least partly the reflux of the distillation column,
• c) drawing off, at the bottom of the distillation column, tertiary alkyl ether and at the top of the distillation-reaction column, an effluent comprising unreacted hydrocarbons and aliphatic alcohol,
• wherein said distillation-reaction section comprises at least one complementary reaction section, comprising at least one catalyst bed,
• and wherein the complementary reaction section is supplied with the most part of an effluent drawn off at the height of a draw-off level of the distillation column, the effluent of said complementary reaction section being sent back to said distillation column in proximity to said level,
• and wherein drawing off is performed between the feed point of the distillation column and the top of said column.

A process for preparing at least one tertiary alkyl ether by reaction of at least one aliphatic monoalcohol and of at least one olefin, comprising:

• a) contacting in a reaction section at least one olefin and at least one aliphatic alcohol,
• b) introducing, through at least one circulating means, the major part of the effluent of said reaction section into a distillation-reaction section comprising a distillation column and at least one distillation-reaction column, said at least one distillation-reaction column comprising at least one catalyst bed, said distillation-reaction column being distinct from the distillation column and providing at least partly the reflux of the distillation column,
• c) drawing off, at the bottom of the distillation column, tertiary alkyl ether and at the top of the distillation-reaction column, an effluent comprising unreacted hydrocarbons and aliphatic alcohol,
• wherein said distillation-reaction section comprises at least one complementary reaction section, comprising at least one catalyst bed,
• and wherein the complementary reaction section is supplied with the most part of an effluent drawn off at the height of a draw-off level of the distillation-reaction column, the effluent of said complementary reaction section being sent back to said distillation-reaction column in proximity to said level,
• and wherein drawing off is performed between the bottom of the distillation-reaction column and the bottom of the catalyst bed situated in the lowest part of said distillation-reaction column.

A process for reacting at least one aliphatic monoalcohol and at least one olefin comprising:

• a) contacting in a reaction section at least one olefin and at least one aliphatic monoalcohol,
• b) introducing effluent from said reaction section into a distillation column of a distillation-reaction section,
• wherein said distillation-reaction section also has at least one distillation-reaction column having at least one catalyst bed, and said at least one distillation-reaction column is distinct from said distillation column,
• c) circulating effluent from said distillation column to said at least one distillation-reaction column,
• d) passing fluid from the bottom of said at least one distillation-reaction column to provide, at least partly, reflux to the top of said distillation column,
• e) supplying at least one complementary reaction section having at least one catalyst bed with fluid from either said distillation column or from said at least one distillation-reaction column, and delivering fluid from said at least one complementary reaction section to said distillation column or said at least one distillation-reaction column, and
• f) drawing off product from the bottom of said distillation column.