| abstract |
THE INVENTION RELATES TO A PROCESS FOR PREPARING METHYL TERT-BUTYL ETHER (MTBE) AND A VIRTUALLY ISOBUTENE-FREE C4-HYDROCARBON MIXTURE BY REACTION OF AN ISOBUTENE-CONTAINING C4-HYDROCARBON STREAM WITH METHANOL OVER AN ACID CATALYST, WHEREIN, IN A FIRST STAGE IN ONE OR MORE REACTOR(S), ISOBUTENE IS REACTED WITH METHANOL TO EQUILIBRIUM FORMATION OF MTBE AND, IN A SECOND STAGE IN A REACTIVE DISTILLATION COLUMN, THE REMAINING ISOBUTENE PRESENT IN THE MIXTURE IS REACTED OVER AN ACID CATALYST, WHERE THE REACTIVE DISTILLATION COLUMN IS OPERATED IN A PRESSURE RANGE FROM 3 TO 15 BAR ABS. AND IN A TEMPERATURE RANGE IN THE REACTION ZONE FROM 55°C TO 75°C AT A HYDRAULIC LOADING IN THE CATALYTIC PACKING OF FROM 10% TO 110% AND A REFLUX RATIO OF LESS THAN 1.THE USE OF THE VIRTUALLY ISOBUTENE-FREE CA-HYDROCARBON MIXTURE AND THE MTBE PREPARED ACCORDING TO THE INVENTION.(FIG 1) |