Patent ID: 7982086
Filing Date: 2011-07-19
Classification: C07C,Y02P,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A process for fractionating isobutene from normal butenes, comprising: introducing hydrogen and a feed stream comprising isobutene, 1-butene, and 2-butene into a first column comprising a catalytic distillation reactor system containing at least one reaction zone comprising a hydroisomerization catalyst operating at a first pressure and concurrently: recovering a first overheads fraction comprising isobutene from the first column; recovering a first bottoms fraction comprising isobutene, 2-butene, and any unreacted 1-butene from the first column; introducing the first bottoms fraction into a top portion of a second column comprising a fractionation column operating at a second pressure lower than the first pressure; separating the first bottoms into a second overheads fraction comprising isobutene and 1-butene and a second bottoms fraction comprising 2-butene; and compressing the second overheads fraction and introducing the compressed second overheads fraction to a lower portion of the first column.