Process for converting methanol to alkyl ethers

Patent · Tue May 24 00:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:6910237

Avidan, A A; Krambeck, F J; Tabak, S A

A process for converting oxygenate feedstock comprising methanol to liquid hydrocarbons is described comprising the steps of (a) contacting the feedstock with zeolite catalyst in a primary catalyst stage at elevated temperature and moderate pressure to convert feedstock to hydrocarbons comprising C/sub 2/-C/sub 7/ olefins and C/sub 8/+ liquid hydrocarbons; (b) cooling and separating the primary stage effluent to recover a liquid C/sub 8+/ hydrocarbons stream and a light hydrocarbon stream rich in C/sub 2/-C/sub 7/ olefins including propylene and C/sub 4/-C/sub 7/ isoalkenes; (c) compressing at least a portion of the olefinic light hydrocarbon stream to condense a liquid olefinic hydrocarbon stream rich in C/sub 4/-C/sub 7/ isoalkenes and recovering a gaseous stream rich in ethene and propene; (d) reacting the isoalkenes with methanol in a secondary stage etherification zone by contacting the isoalkenes and methanol with an acid etherification catalyst to produce C/sub 5/-C/sub 8/ methyl isoalkylethers; (e) fractionating the secondary stage effluent to obtain a liquid ether and C/sub 5/+ hydrocarbon stream and an olefinic C/sub 4/ stream rich in unreacted butenes and isobutane; (f) reacting the butene-rich olefinic stream from step (e) with isobutane in a catalytic alkylation stage in contact with acid alkylation catalyst to convert at least a portion of olefins to alkylate gasoline; and (g) recycling ethene and/or propene in a gaseous stream to the primary catalytic stage.

• Assignee: Mobil Oil Corp., New York, NY
• Patent Number(s): US 4746761
• OSTI ID: 6910237
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400201* -- Chemical & Physicochemical Properties
ALCOHOLS
ALKENES
ALKYL RADICALS
ALKYLATION
BUTENES
CATALYSIS
CATALYSTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ETHERS
FRACTIONATION
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ION EXCHANGERS
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
MATERIALS
METHANOL
MINERALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRODUCTION
PROPYLENE
RADICALS
RECOVERY
RECYCLING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
ZEOLITES