Application: To process C5 streams from refinery units to produce tertiary amyl ethyl ether (TAEE).
Description: TAEE is formed by the catalytic etherification of isoamylene with ethanol. The patented CDTaee process is based on a two-step reactor design, consisting of a boiling point fixed-bed reactor followed by final conversion in a catalytic distillation column. The process uses an acidic ion-exchange resin catalyst in both its fixed-bed reactor and proprietary catalytic distillation structures.
The unique catalytic distillation column combines reaction and fractionation in a single unit operation. It allows a high conversion of isoamylene (exceeding fixed-bed equilibrium limitations) to be achieved simply and economically. By using distillation to separate the product from the reactants, the equilibrium limitation is exceeded and higher conversion of isoamylene is achieved. Catalytic distillation also takes advantage of the improved kinetics through increased temperature without penalizing equilibrium conversion.
CDTECH’s boiling point reactor offers:
• Simple and effective control
• Elimination of hot spots
• Long catalyst life
• High flexibility
• Low capital cost
• Elimination of catalyst attrition
• Most effective heat removal technique
• Elimination of cooling water requirement.
Licensor: CDTECH.
