Two-step process for production of RON-enhanced mixed butanols and diisobutenes

摘要

A two-step process for the oligomerization and hydration of a mixed butenes feed is provided and is implemented in a two-stage system. The two-step process yields a product consisting of diisobutenes (DIBs) and mixed butanols. The DIBs are produced via the selective oligomerization of isobutene in a first stage and the mixed butanols are produced via the hydration, in a second stage, of mixed butenes that remain unreacted in the first stage.

主权项

1. A two-stage process for oligomerizing and hydrating a hydrocarbon feed comprising mixed olefins including mixed butenes including isobutene and n-butenes, the process comprising the steps of:
introducing the hydrocarbon feed into a first reactor vessel under reaction conditions that are operable to oligomerize the isobutene into diisobutenes; contacting the mixed hydrocarbon feed with an oligomerization catalyst within the first reactor vessel, the oligomerization catalyst being of a type that selectively oligomerizes the isobutene into diisobutenes; separating the diisobutenes from unreacted butenes to form a diisobutene stream; introducing the unreacted butenes into a second reactor vessel in the presence of water and under reaction conditions that operable to hydrate the unreacted butenes including the unreacted n-butenes and any unreacted isobutene; contacting the unreacted butenes with a hydration catalyst within the second reactor vessel to hydrate the unreacted butenes to form a mixed butanols stream; and combining the diisobutene stream and mixed butanols stream to form a product stream.