Abstract: Apparatus for reducing the amount of water in the feed to a methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) conversion reactor is described. The output products of a dehydration reactor and an aqueous methanol feed are supplied to a primary distillation tower or separator. A dimethylether (DME)/methanol mixture is taken as overhead from the primary tower and can be sent to the MTG conversion reactor to produce hydrocarbons boiling in the gasoline range. Bottoms from the primary tower, containing methanol and water, are supplied to a secondary distillation tower or separator. A methanol stream is drawn as overhead from the secondary tower and is passed to an acid catalyzed dehydration reactor where an equilibrium mixture of dimethylether, methanol, and water is produced. The equilibrium mixture is passed from the dehydration reactor to the primary distillation tower. In preferred embodiments, the conversion reactor feed from the primary distillation tower may be of a gaseous or liquid phase.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for reducing the amount of water in the feed to a methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) conversion reactor is described. The output products of a dehydration reactor and an aqueous methanol feed are supplied to a primary distillation tower or separator. A dimethylether (DME)/methanol mixture is taken as overhead from the primary tower and can be sent to the MTG conversion reactor to produce hydrocarbons boiling in the gasoline range. Bottoms from the primary tower, containing methanol and water, are supplied to a secondary distillation tower or separator. A methanol stream is drawn as overhead from the secondary tower and is passed to an acid catalyzed dehydration reactor where an equilibrium mixture of dimethylether, methanol, and water is produced. The equilibrium mixture is passed from the dehydration reactor to the primary distillation tower. In preferred embodiments, the conversion reactor feed from the primary distillation tower may be of a gaseous or liquid phase.