Patent ID: 7173143

Claim:
An integrated process for the synthesis of propylene oxide, comprising the following steps: (a) dehydrogenation of propane to give a substream T( 0 ) comprising propane, propene and hydrogen; (b) fractionation of the substream T( 0 ) to give at least one gaseous hydrogen-rich substream T( 2 ) and a substream T( 1 ) comprising propene and propane; (c) fractionation of the substream T( 1 ) to give at least one propane-rich substream T( 5 ) and at least one propene-rich substream T( 3 ); (d) separation of the substream T( 5 ) into at least the substreams T( 5 a ) and T( 5 b ); (e) synthesis of hydrogen peroxide using the substream T( 2 ) which is combined with at least the substream T( 5 a ), giving a substream T( 4 ) which is rich in hydrogen peroxide and a gaseous substream T( 6 a ); (f) at least partial recirculation of the substream T( 6 a ) to step (a); (g) reaction of the at least one substream T( 3 ) with substream T( 4 ) to give propylene oxide.