Process for removal of impurities from etherification feedstocks

Abstract

A process is directed to the removal of impurities such as sulfur compounds, oxygenates, and/or olefins from a light paraffin hydrocarbon feedstock such as a C.sub.4 -C.sub.6 fraction, which may be used subsequently in an isomerization process in an integrated complex for the production of ethers such as MTBE and TAME. The hydrocarbon feedstream is passed to a removal zone wherein the hydrocarbon feedstream is contacted with a selective solvent for the removal of the impurities comprising at least one of sulfur compounds, oxygenates and olefins to provide a rich solvent stream and a treated hydrocarbon stream. The rich solvent comprising the trace impurities is contacted with a stripping medium stream to regenerate the selective solvent in a stripping zone. The removal zone may be a liquid-liquid extraction zone or a gas absorption zone. The selective solvent comprises a water miscible organic liquid having a low molecular weight preferably less than about 400 and more preferably having a molecular weight of less than about 200. The process is particularly useful in removing impurities such as sulfur, oxygenates and/or olefins which are harmful to the isomerization catalyst. The process replaces separate olefins, oxygenate, and sulfur removal processes resulting in simplified processing schemes.