Distillation of higher alcohols of 6-20 carbon atoms containing water

Abstract

For the distillation of a stream consisting essentially of alcohols of 6-20 carbon atoms, water and methanol, the methanol is first separated from the homogeneous, aqueous solution as the overhead product by distillation under a head pressure of 500-1,000 mbar. The bottoms discharge is mechanically separated under normal pressure and at a temperature of 5.degree.-95.degree. C. in a phase separator to obtain a discrete water phase preferably containing at least two thirds of the feedstream water. The remaining organic phase is then transferred from the phase separator into a second distillation column and the organic phase is dewatered in the latter at 100-500 mbar. The head product from the second column is conducted to a second phase separator; the aqueous phase is separated therein at a temperature of 5.degree.-95.degree. C. and optionally returned into the first phase separator. The bottom product from the second distillation column is passed into a downstream distillation stage wherein the C.sub.6 to C.sub.20 alcohols are separated into fractions thereof.