US4144138A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Recovery of ethers
Assignee: Huntsman Specialty Chemicals Corp
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Filing: 1978-01-18
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Granted: 1979-03-13
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Expires: 1998-01-18
Abstract
Abstract Methyl tertiary butyl ether may be recovered from etherification reaction effluent by azeotropic distillation to recover methanol-ether azeotrope overhead which is water-washed to give pure ether raffinate plus ether-methanol bottoms, the latter being azeotropically distilled to yield ether-methanol overhead which is recycled to water-washing.
Inventors
- 👤 Babu Y. Rao
- 👤 Sheldon Herbstman
- 👤 Michael D. Riordan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 08:42
CPC Classifications
C; C07; C07C; C07C41/00; C07C41/01; C07C41/34; C07C41/40; C07C41/42; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S203/00; Y10S203/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
The process for recovering methyl t-butyl ether from a reaction effluent containing methyl t-butyl ether, methanol, t-butanol, and water which comprises: (a) distilling said reaction effluent in a first azeotropic distillation operation thereby forming an overhead stream containing an azeotrope of methanol and methyl t-butyl ether; (b) water-washing said azeotrope in a waterwashing operation thereby forming (i) a raffinate containing methyl t-butyl ether and (ii) an extract containing water, methanol, and methyl t-butyl ether; (c) recovering said raffinate containing methyl t-butyl ether; (d) distilling said extract in a second azeotropic distillation operation thereby forming (i) an overhead stream containing methanol and methyl t-butyl ether and (ii) a bottoms stream containing water; (e) passing said overhead stream from said second azeotropic distillation operation to said water-washing operation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
126 words
The process for recovering methyl t-butyl ether from a reaction effluent containing methyl t-butyl ether, methanol, t-butanol, and water which comprises: (a) distilling said reaction effluent in a first azeotropic distillation operation thereby forming an overhead stream containing an azeotrope of methanol and methyl t-butyl ether; (b) water-washing said azeotrope in a waterwashing operation thereby forming (i) a raffinate containing methyl t-butyl ether and (ii) an extract containing water, methanol, and methyl t-butyl ether; (c) recovering said raffinate containing methyl t-butyl ether; (d) distilling said extract in a second azeotropic distillation operation thereby forming (i) an overhead stream containing methanol and methyl t-butyl ether and (ii) a bottoms stream containing water; (e) passing said overhead stream from said second azeotropic distillation operation to said water-washing operation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process for recovering methyl t-butyl ether is claimed in claim 1 wherein said first azeotropic distillation operation is carried out at pressure of 0-30 psig.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process for recovering methyl t-butyl ether as claimed in claim 1 wherein said azeotrope overhead form said first azeotropic distillation contains 13-17 w% methanol and 83-87w% methyl t-butyl ether.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process for recovering methyl t-butyl ether as claimed in claim 1 wherein said raffinate from said water-washing operation is substantially free of methanol.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process for recovering methyl t-butyl ether as claimed in claim 1 wherein said azeotrope overhead from said second azeotopic distillation operation has substantially the same composition as said azeotrope overhead from said first azeotropic distillation operation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process for recovering methyl t-butyl ether as claimed in claim 1 wherein said azeotrope overhead streams from said first and second azeotropic distillation operations contain about 15 w% methanol and about 85w% methyl t-butyl ether.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process for recovering methyl t-butyl ether as claimed in claim 1 wherein a methanol side stream is withdrawn from each of said first and said second azeotropic distillation operations.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
136 words
The process for recovering methyl t-butyl ether from a reaction effluent containing methyl t-butyl ether, methanol, t-butanol, and water which comprises: (a) distilling said reaction effluent in a first azeotropic distillation operation thereby forming an overhead stream containing an azeotrope of methanol and methyl t-butyl ether; (b) water-washing said azeotrope in a water-washing operation at a water-to-charge azeotrope weight ratio of about 0.18-0.20, thereby forming (i) a raffinate containing methyl t-butyl ether and (ii) an extract containing water, methanol, and methyl t-butyl ether; (c) recovering said raffinate containing methyl t-butyl ether; (d) distilling said extract in a second azeotropic distillation operation thereby forming (i) an overhead stream containing methanol and methyl t-butyl ether and (ii) a bottoms stream containing water; and (e) passing said overhead stream from said second azeotropic distillation operation to said water-washing operation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
136 words
The process for recovering methyl t-butyl ether from a reaction effluent containing methyl t-butyl ether, methanol, t-butanol, and water which comprises: (a) distilling said reaction effluent in a first azeotropic distillation operation thereby forming an overhead stream containing an azeotrope of methanol and methyl t-butyl ether; (b) water-washing said azeotrope in a water-washing operation at a water-to-charge azeotrope weight ratio of about 0.18-0.20, thereby forming (i) a raffinate containing methyl t-butyl ether and (ii) an extract containing water, methanol, and methyl t-butyl ether; (c) recovering said raffinate containing methyl t-butyl ether; (d) distilling said extract in a second azeotropic distillation operation thereby forming (i) an overhead stream containing methanol and methyl t-butyl ether and (ii) a bottoms stream containing water; and (e) passing said overhead stream from said second azeotropic distillation operation to said water-washing operation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
171 words
The process for recovering methyl, t-butyl ether from a reaction effluent containing methyl t-butyl ether, methanol, t-butanol, and water which comprises: (a) distilling said reaction effluent in a first azeotropic distillation operation thereby forming an overhead stream containing an azeotrope of methanol and methyl t-butyl ether; (b) water-washing said azeotrope in a water-washing operation thereby forming (i) a raffinate containing methyl t-butyl ether and (ii) an extract containing water, methanol, and methyl t-butyl ether; (c) recovering said raffinate containing methyl t-butyl ether; (d) distilling said extract in a second azeotropic distillation operation thereby forming (i) an overhead stream containing methanol and methyl t-butyl ether and (ii) a bottoms stream containing water; (e) passing said overhead stream from said second azeotropic distillation operation to said water-washing operation; (f) withdrawing from said first azeotropic distillation operation a bottoms stream containing t-butanol and water; (g) distilling said bottoms stream from said first azeotropic distillation operation in a third azeotropic distillation operation thereby forming an overhead containing t-butanol; and (h) recovering said overhead containing t-butanol.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
171 words
The process for recovering methyl, t-butyl ether from a reaction effluent containing methyl t-butyl ether, methanol, t-butanol, and water which comprises: (a) distilling said reaction effluent in a first azeotropic distillation operation thereby forming an overhead stream containing an azeotrope of methanol and methyl t-butyl ether; (b) water-washing said azeotrope in a water-washing operation thereby forming (i) a raffinate containing methyl t-butyl ether and (ii) an extract containing water, methanol, and methyl t-butyl ether; (c) recovering said raffinate containing methyl t-butyl ether; (d) distilling said extract in a second azeotropic distillation operation thereby forming (i) an overhead stream containing methanol and methyl t-butyl ether and (ii) a bottoms stream containing water; (e) passing said overhead stream from said second azeotropic distillation operation to said water-washing operation; (f) withdrawing from said first azeotropic distillation operation a bottoms stream containing t-butanol and water; (g) distilling said bottoms stream from said first azeotropic distillation operation in a third azeotropic distillation operation thereby forming an overhead containing t-butanol; and (h) recovering said overhead containing t-butanol.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-03-12 | 1982-09-11 | 1983-03-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-03-12 | 1986-09-11 | 1987-03-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-03-12 | 1990-09-11 | 1991-03-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |