METHOD OF CLEANING AND DRYING PROPANE FRACTION FROM METHANOL Russian patent published in 2012 - IPC C07C7/06 C07C9/08 C10G7/08 

FIELD: chemistry.

SUBSTANCE: method involves bringing a methanol-containing stream into contact with water, separating the propane fraction from the water-methanol solution, removing methanol in form of its aqueous solution, fortifying the aqueous methanol solution via rectification, characterised by that the methanol-containing stream is brought into contact with water by mixing. Water consumption is determined by the following condition: 3·Q_met.>Q_water>0.2·Q_met., where Q_met. is the amount of methanol from the propane fraction per hour, m³/h; Q_water is the amount of water fed for washing, m³/h. After separation from the water-methanol phase fed for fortification, the propane fraction is fed into a column for azeotropic rectification. A water-methanol-propane azeotrope-forming mixture in vapour form is output from the top part of the column, compressed, condensed and then fed for mixing with water, and a purified and dried propane fraction containing a residual amount of methanol and water is then output from the bottom part of the column. The propane fraction fed for purification and drying is also directly fed for mixing with water or is fed together with the propane fraction after separation from the water-methanol phase for azeotropic rectification.

EFFECT: use of the present method enables to reduce specific energy consumption in the drying and purification processes when realising the method.

8 cl, 8 ex, 8 tbl, 2 dwg