Inventors:
Arvids Judzis - Pasadena TX, US
Abraham P. Gelbein - Falls Church VA, US
John R. Adams - Houston TX, US
Christopher C. Boyer - Houston TX, US
Assignee:
Catalytic Distillation Technologies - Pasadena TX
International Classification:
B01D 3/14, B01D 3/00, C07C 7/00
US Classification:
208365, 208353, 208355, 203 21, 203 22, 203 27, 203 29, 203 98, 585 8, 585 11, 585 13, 585914, 585804
Abstract:
An energy efficient process scheme for a highly exothermic reaction-distillation system in which the reactor is external to the distillation column and the feed to the reactor is a mixture of at least one liquid product stream from the distillation column with or without other liquid/vapor reactants. The reactor is operated under adiabatic and boiling point conditions and at a pressure that results in vaporizing a portion of the liquid flow through the reactor due to the heat of reaction. Under these conditions, reaction temperature is controlled by reactor pressure. The pressure (and hence the temperature) is maintained at a sufficiently high level such that the reactor effluent can be efficiently used to provide reboil heat for the distillation column.