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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Conversion of methanol to gasoline

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6480901

This patent describes a continuous process for converting oxygenated hydrocarbon feedstock containing methanol, dimethyl ether or mixtures thereof to gasoline boiling range hydrocarbons in a fixed bed adiabatic reaction zone with a medium pore crystalline acid zeolite catalyst at elevated temperature and pressure comprising: contacting oxygenate feedstock with the catalyst in the fixed bed reaction zone in the presence of C/sub 3/-C/sub 4/ saturated hydrocarbons under conditions to convert substantially all oxygenates and a portion of the saturated hydrocarbons to produce gasoline range hydrocarbons; cooling reaction effluent from the fixed bed reaction zone to form an aqueous liquid phase, a gas phase rich in C/sub 2/-hydrocarbons, and a liquid hydrocarbon phase rich in C/sub 3/+ hydrocarbons; separating at a pressure below reaction zone pressure the effluent into a byproduct aqueous stream, a byproduct gaseous stream, and a condensed C/sub 3/+ liquid hydrocarbon stream; pumping the condensed liquid stream to a pressure above reaction zone pressure; heating and partially vaporizing the pressurized hydrocarbon stream to form a vapor phase rich in C/sub 3/-C/sub 4/ saturated hydrocarbons and a first liquid product stream rich in gasoline product; separating the partially vaporized stream into a second liquid product stream and a C/sub 3/-C/sub 4/ rich vapor recycle stream.

Assignee:
Mobil Oil Corp., New York, NY
Patent Number(s):
US 4788369
OSTI ID:
6480901
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English