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Title: Extraction of crude methanol and conversion of raffinate

Patent ·
OSTI ID:5857488

A continuous process is described for converting crude methanol to methyl tertiary-alkyl ethers comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a crude methanolic feedstock containing a minor amount of water with a liquid olefinic hydrocarbon extraction stream rich in C/sub 4/+ iso-alkene hydrocarbon under extraction conditions favorable to selective extraction of the methanol, thereby providing an extract liquid stream rich in methanol and an aqueous raffinate stream lean in methanol; (b) charging liquid hydrocarbon extractant and extracted methanol substantially free of water to a first catalytic reaction zone for contact with acid etherification catalyst under etherification process conditions for converting methanol and iso-alkene hydrocarbon to predominantly methyl tertiary-alkyl ether; (c) fractionating the etherification effluent from step (b) to recover unreacted vapor and to recover unreacted methanol and light olefinic hydrocarbon overhead vapor and to recover liquid product containing methyl tertiary-alkyl ether; (d) catalytically upgrading olefinic overhead vapor from step (c) to provide liquid hydrocarbon product; and (e) charging at least a portion of the aqueous raffinate stream from step (a) for conversion of methanol to hydrocarbons concurrently with olefin upgrading in step (d).

Assignee:
Mobil Oil Corp., New York, NY
Patent Number(s):
US 4827046
OSTI ID:
5857488
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: Filed date 11 Apr 1988
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English