Process for direct etherification of a dehydrogenated effluent

摘要

An integrated process of producing MTBE by the dehydrogenation of isobutane and the etherification of the resulting isobutene with methanol is simplified by directly charging the effluent of a dehydrogenation zone without prior separation to an etherification zone arranged to provide countercurrent contact of isobutene and the methanol reactants such that an MTBE product is recovered as a bottoms stream and a relatively isobutene-free overhead stream is recycled to the dehydrogenation zone. Overall separation facilities are simplified by only separating C3 hydrocarbons from the etherification zone product stream. This arrangement eliminates C3 separation facilities ahead of the etherification zone and reduces the quantity of C4 hydrocarbons that are received by the separation zone. The reaction zone may contain a series of beds arranged to further eliminate the carry over of isobutene to the separation facilities. This arrangement also allows a recovery of unreactive or unreacted C4 hydrocarbons from the top of the etherification zone.