Patent ID: 8058498

Claim:
A process for removing oxygenates from mixtures of hydrocarbon compounds in which such oxygenates are present, wherein a liquid phase ( 1 ) containing hydrocarbons and oxygenates is charged to a first column ( 3 ), in which a light fraction comprising essentially all of the oxygenates contained in said liquid phase is separated as top product ( 5 ) by distillation and a heavier C4+ fraction essentially free of said oxygenates is separated as bottom product ( 4 ), the light fraction ( 5 ) and spatially separate therefrom a gaseous mixture of hydrocarbons and oxygenates ( 2 ) is charged to a second column ( 7 ), wherein the charging point of the gaseous mixture ( 2 ) is above the charging point of the light fraction ( 5 ) and wherein in column ( 7 ) a separation into a light and a heavy hydrocarbon fraction is effected by distillation, and a solvent ( 6 ) is supplied to the upper part of the second column ( 7 ), which dissolves the oxygenates and is discharged in the bottom product ( 9 ) of the second column, so that a hydrocarbon product ( 8 ) free of water and essentially free from oxygenates leaves the top of the second column ( 7 ), and a mixture of oxygenates, solvent and residual hydrocarbons ( 9 ) is withdrawn from the bottom of said second column ( 7 ).