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US 7,741,498 B2Granted
Propylene oxide process
AssigneeLyondell Chemical Technology, L.P.
InventorsTe Chang, Gary A. Sawyer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for making propylene oxide from propylene is disclosed. The process comprises reacting propylene, oxygen, and hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst and a solvent to produce a reaction mixture comprising propylene oxide. Separation of propylene, oxygen, hydrogen, and propylene oxide from the reaction mixture results in a residual mixture comprising methanol. A portion of the residual mixture is recycled to the reaction. A portion of the residual mixture is distilled to generate a distilled methanol stream, which is recycled to the reaction.
Claims9
A process for producing propylene oxide comprising
- (a) reacting propylene, oxygen, and hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst and methanol to produce a reaction mixture comprising propylene oxide;
- (b) separating propylene, oxygen, hydrogen, and propylene oxide from the reaction mixture to generate a residual mixture comprising methanol:
- (c) recycling from 10 to 30 wt % of the residual mixture to step (a);
- (d) separating a portion of the residual mixture to generate a methanol stream;
- and
- (e) recycling the methanol stream to step (a);
- wherein the reaction mixture comprises methanol and water with a methanol to water weight ratio greater than 7:3.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.