Abstract: The invention relates to a process and a plant for producing an olefins-containing hydrocarbon product by reaction of an oxygenates-containing reactant mixture, which is divided into a plurality of reactant mixture substreams, in a multi-stage oxygenate-to-olefin (OTO) synthesis reactor comprising a plurality of serially connected reaction sections comprising catalyst zones, wherein a feeding apparatus for a reactant mixture substream is arranged upstream of each catalyst zone. In each of these reaction sections a reactant mixture substream is introduced and therein under oxygenates conversion conditions converted into olefins and further hydrocarbons, wherein all reaction sections save for the first are additionally supplied with the product stream from the respective upstream reaction section. In addition at least one steam stream is introduced into at least one reaction section and at least one hydrocarbons-containing recycle stream is introduced into at least one reaction section.

Abstract: A process for producing olefins from oxygenates comprises the following steps: (i) heterogeneously catalyzed conversion of at least one oxygenate to an entire stream containing liquid and gaseous organic compounds and water, and (ii) separating the entire stream in a first separating means into a fraction containing at least 90 vol-% of the gaseous organic compounds of the entire stream, into a fraction containing at least 90 wt-% of the liquid organic compounds of the entire stream, and into a fraction containing at least 90 wt-% of the water of the entire stream. Furthermore, the invention also comprises a plant for carrying out this process.

Abstract: A cooled reactor for the production of dimethyl ether by catalytic dehydration of methanol in the gas phase, the reactor having an adiabatic catalyst bed as starting zone, a moderator zone cooled by direct or indirect heat exchange, and optionally an adiabatic catalyst bed as conditioning zone. The conversion of methanol to dimethyl ether is increased and the formation of undesired by-products is decreased.

Abstract: A method for starting up a DME synthesis reactor in which methanol is converted by dehydration to dimethyl ether on a solid catalyst, wherein the catalyst is heated up with condensing methanol vapor, possibly in several steps. In a final treatment step with superheated methanol vapor, the catalyst is dried and its temperature is raised to the starting temperature of the methanol dehydration.

Abstract: In the production of purified methanol and/or dimethyl ether from crude methanol, the crude methanol is processed in at least one prepurification stage, a first partial stream of the prepurified methanol is supplied to a final methanol purification and a second partial stream of the prepurified methanol is supplied to a reactor and at least partly converted to dimethyl ether. The dimethyl ether recovered is purified in at least one purification stage, wherein non-reacted methanol is withdrawn from the dimethyl ether purification stage and at least partly supplied to the final methanol purification. In this way, both purified methanol and dimethyl ether can be produced in parallel, wherein the quantities of both products obtained are flexibly adjustable.

Abstract: A process for producing olefins from oxygenates comprises the following steps: (i) heterogeneously catalyzed conversion of at least one oxygenate to an entire stream containing liquid and gaseous organic compounds and water, and (ii) separating the entire stream in a first separating means into a fraction containing at least 90 vol-% of the gaseous organic compounds of the entire stream, into a fraction containing at least 90 wt-% of the liquid organic compounds of the entire stream, and into a fraction containing at least 90 wt-% of the water of the entire stream. Furthermore, the invention also comprises a plant for carrying out this process.

Abstract: A method for starting up a DME synthesis reactor in which methanol is converted by dehydration to dimethyl ether on a solid catalyst, wherein the catalyst is heated up with condensing methanol vapor, possibly in several steps. In a final treatment step with superheated methanol vapor, the catalyst is dried and its temperature is raised to the starting temperature of the methanol dehydration.

Abstract: A cooled reactor for the production of dimethyl ether by catalytic dehydration of methanol in the gas phase, the reactor having an adiabatic catalyst bed as starting zone, a moderator zone cooled by direct or indirect heat exchange, and optionally an adiabatic catalyst bed as conditioning zone. The conversion of methanol to dimethyl ether is increased and the formation of undesired by-products is decreased.

Abstract: A process produces dimethyl ether (DME) from methanol (MeOH). The process includes charging a feed mixture consisting of raw MeOH and a process-internally obtained return flow substantially consisting of unconverted MeOH and reaction water to an MeOH column. The feed mixture is evaporated in the MeOH column to form a first distillate substantially consisting of vaporous MeOH. The first distillate is supplied to a reactor and the MeOH is converted to DME by splitting off water in the reactor so as to form a reaction mixture. The reaction mixture is withdrawn from the reactor, charged to a mixture column and separated into a bottom product substantially consisting of water and a second distillate substantially consisting of DME and MeOH. The second distillate is separated in a DME column into a third distillate substantially consisting of DME, a bottom product consisting essentially of water-poor MeOH, and uncondensable gases discharged overhead.

Abstract: For the production of olefins from dimethyl ether gaseous dimethyl ether in a purity of 70-100 wt-% together with recycle gas, which contains olefinic, paraffinic and/or aromatic hydrocarbons, as well as steam is charged to a first catalyst stage of a re actor. To render the temperature profile over the catalyst stages as flat as possible, but close to the optimum operating temperature, gaseous dimethyl ether in a purity of 70-100 wt-% together with recycle gas, which contains olefinic, paraffinic and aromatic hydrocarbons, is charged to at least one downstream catalyst stage, wherein this downstream catalyst stage additionally is fed with product gas from the upstream catalyst stage.

Abstract: In the production of purified methanol and/or dimethyl ether from crude methanol, the crude methanol is processed in at least one prepurification stage, a first partial stream of the prepurified methanol is supplied to a final methanol purification and a second partial stream of the prepurified methanol is supplied to a reactor and at least partly converted to dimethyl ether. The dimethyl ether recovered is purified in at least one purification stage, wherein non-reacted methanol is withdrawn from the dimethyl ether purification stage and at least partly supplied to the final methanol purification. In this way, both purified methanol and dimethyl ether can be produced in parallel, wherein the quantities of both products obtained are flexibly adjustable.

Abstract: A process produces dimethyl ether (DME) from methanol (MeOH). The process includes charging a feed mixture consisting of raw MeOH and a process-internally obtained return flow substantially consisting of unconverted MeOH and reaction water to an MeOH column. The feed mixture is evaporated in the MeOH column to form a first distillate substantially consisting of vaporous MeOH. The first distillate is supplied to a reactor and the MeOH is converted to DME by splitting off water in the reactor so as to form a reaction mixture. The reaction mixture is withdrawn from the reactor, charged to a mixture column and separated into a bottom product substantially consisting of water and a second distillate substantially consisting of DME and MeOH. The second distillate is separated in a DME column into a third distillate substantially consisting of DME, a bottom product consisting essentially of water-poor MeOH, and uncondensable gases discharged overhead.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing a synthetic fuel, especially diesel fuel and in addition gasoline, liquefied petroleum gas and heating gas from a gas mixture comprising an oxygenate wherein the oxygenate is methanol and/or dimethyl ether and/or another oxygenate, through a series of steps, including olefin-formation, oligomerization of the olefins, and several separation steps and recycling steps, in particular the recycling of a stream of saturated hydrocarbons following the oligomerization of olefins back to the olefin-forming stage, to obtain the diesel fuel and the other synthetic fuels in high yield.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the production of synthetic fuels, wherein, in a first step, a gas mixture consisting of methanol and/or dimethyl ether and/or another oxygenate and water vapor is reacted at temperatures of 300-600° C. in order to form olefins with, preferably, 268 carbon atoms. In a second step, the olefin mixture thus obtained is oligomerized at an elevated pressure to form higher olefins with predominantly more than 5, preferably 10-20 carbon atoms. According to said method, a) the production of olefins in the first step is carried out in the presence of a gas flow which essentially consists of saturated hydrocarbons which are separated from the product flow of the second step and returned to the first step, and (b) the production of olefins is carried out in the second step in the presence of a flow of water vapor which is separated from the product flow of the first step and returned to the first step.

Abstract: In a method for the production of propylene, a charge stream containing C4 to C6 olefins is evaporated, superheated, mixed with hot water vapor, the olefins vapor mixture converted on a zeolite catalyst, the reaction mixture formed thereby cooled, and then partially condensed. In order to increase the yield of propylene, the gaseous phase containing ethylene, propylene, C4 to C8 olefins, and additional hydrocarbons that is accumulated during the partial condensation is compressed, the gaseous and liquid phase containing propylene, ethylene, and other light hydrocarbons that exit from the compression step is separated into a gaseous phase containing propylene, ethylene, and other light hydrocarbons and a liquid phase containing C4+ olefins, and the liquid phase is separated into a fraction containing C4 to C6 olefins and a fraction containing C7+ olefins.

Abstract: In a method for the production of propylene, a charge stream containing C4 to C6 olefins is evaporated, superheated, mixed with hot water vapor, the olefins vapor mixture converted on a zeolite catalyst, the reaction mixture formed thereby cooled, and then partially condensed. In order to increase the yield of propylene, the gaseous phase containing ethylene, propylene, C4 to C8 olefins, and additional hydrocarbons that is accumulated during the partial condensation is compressed, the gaseous and liquid phase containing propylene, ethylene, and other light hydrocarbons that exit from the compression step is separated into a gaseous phase containing propylene, ethylene, and other light hydrocarbons and a liquid phase containing C4+ olefins, and the liquid phase is separated into a fraction containing C4 to C6 olefins and a fraction containing C7+ olefins.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for preparing an organic acid and/or its salts from a solution obtained through fermentation. In this process, a pure carbohydrate-containing raw material is used. The acid-containing solution prepared by means of fermentation is supplied to a cell separation, and the acid-containing permeate is supplied to a protein precipitation, where it is mixed with a silicon-containing precipitant at temperatures between 2.degree. and 70.degree. C. The solution thus obtained is supplied to a protein separation, and the acid-containing permeate is concentrated and then supplied to a single- or multi-stage crystallization or a granulation.

Abstract: A membrane process for separating fluorinated hydrocarbon vapors is disclosed. The process employs a permselective membrane that is selectively permeable to fluorinated hydrocarbons over oxygen or nitrogen. The process involves contacting the feed side of the membrane with a gas mixture containing the fluorinated hydrocarbon vapor, and withdrawing from the permeate side a vapor enriched in the fluorinated hydrocarbon component. The driving force for membrane permeation is preferably provided by maintaining a partial vacuum on the permeate of the membrane. Eighty to 99% of the fluorinated hydrocarbon contained in the feedstream can be removed by the process. The permeate may be sufficiently enriched in fluorinated hydrocarbon to permit recovery and reuse. Very high membrane selectivities are not required.