Snamprogetti S.p.a.

Riziero Ricci

Carlo Rescalli

Flavio Cianci

Adriano Scazzosi

A process is disclosed for the dehydration of a mixture of methanol and higher alcohols, containing 20 to 80% by weight of methanol, 1 to 60% by weight of at least a higher alcohol selected from those containing from 2 to 10 carbon atoms, 1 to 50% by weight of water and 0.1 to 10% by weight of hydrocarbons and/or of oxygen-containing organic compounds different from alcohols, which process comprises the following steps: p0 (a) feeding to a first rectification tower the mixture of methanol and higher alcohols to be dehydrated, a gaseous stream being discharged from the tower head, which contains a portion of the hydrocarbons and/or of the oxygen-containing organic compounds different from the alcohols; from a side point at a level higher than 2/3 of the tower height, a stream containing methanol and possibly ethanol being drawn; and from the tower bottom a stream being obtained with a methanol, and possibly ethanol, and having a content not larger than 10% by weight;

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Cortemaggiore, Italy

Riziero Ricci