ASSEMBLY FOR PRODUCING ALKYLENE OXIDES AND GLYCOL ETHERS

摘要

There is provided a manufacturing assembly for the production of an alkylene oxide and a stream of glycol ethers. The manufacturing assembly produces the alkylene oxide and stream of glycol without the use of equipment for separating substantially all of the alkyl alcohol from the alkylene oxide product stream. Thus, the use of additional pieces of equipment can be avoided, or the equipment required to effectuate any required further separation and/or purification may be smaller and/or cheaper to purchase and/or operate.

主权项

1. A manufacturing assembly for the production of an alkylene oxide and one or more glycol ethers comprising:
a reactor appropriate for housing a reaction to produce an alkylene oxide product stream comprising from about 5 to about 15 weight percent alkylene oxide, about 50 to about 85 weight percent alkyl alcohol and about 10 to about 25 weight percent water; a distillation column operatively disposed relative to the reactor to receive the product stream thereof, comprising fewer than 80 theoretical stages and appropriate for producing a refined stream comprising from about 50 to about 99 weight percent alkylene oxide, about 0.5 to about 50 weight percent alkyl alcohol and about 0 to about 5 weight percent water; a vessel operatively disposed relative to the distillation column to receive the refined stream therefrom and housing a catalyst capable of reacting with the refined stream to produce a reacted stream comprising reacted stream comprising less than 1 wt % alkyl alcohol, from about 0.01 to about 98 weight percent alkylene oxide and from about 2 to about 99 weight percent glycol ethers; and a second distillation column operatively disposed relative to the vessel to receive the reacted stream to produce a substantially pure stream of alkylene oxide and a stream of glycol ethers.