VERFAHREN ZUR REAKTIVEN DESTILLATION UND VORRICHTUNG ZUR DURCHFÜHRUNG DERSELBEN

摘要

A reactive distillation process is described, making it possible, in the same vessel, to carry out a catalytic reaction and to isolate the required product by distillation, in which the liquid phase containing the reactants passes from the top downwards through at least one catalyst bed without the vapour phase of the distillation passing through the said catalyst beds. These operating characteristics are in practice obtained in a reactive distillation zone (C) which comprises an alternation of distillation cells (D) comprising one or a number of trays (5) and of reaction cells (R) containing the catalyst beds and designed so that the liquid phase flowing off a distillation tray (5) flows over a spillway (7) via a down column (6) to reach the catalyst bed (8) at its bottom and to pass through it as an upward stream before pouring by overspill onto a distillation tray (5) of the following distillation cell (D), so that the distillation vapour which travels from the bottom upwards through the distillation trays (5) does not pass through the said reaction cells (R). Each reaction cell (R) is physically separated from the adjacent distillation cell(s) (D). The process and the apparatus which are described can be applied particularly to the reactions of synthesis of tertiary alkyl ethers by addition of aliphatic monoalcohols (methanol, ethanol) to isoolefins (isobutene, isopentene).