Refining process and apparatus

Abstract

A process of producing high octane alcohols includes the steps of preparing a first mixture of substantially ethanol and butane or natural gasoline, the mixture having a certain temperature and a certain pressure, adjusting the certain pressure of the mixture to a magnitude within the range of 10 to 50 pounds per square inch, adjusting the temperature of the mixture to a magnitude within the range of 100 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, adjusting the pressure of the mixture to a pressure within the range of 500 to 1000 pounds per square inch, catalyzing the mixture with a platinum catalyst, lowering the temperature of the mixture to a magnitude within a range of 90 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit, and separating out liquid product and gas from the mixture. Then a second mixture of said liquid product and methanol is prepared and the process steps are repeated on this second mixture to produce a second product plus gas.

We claim:  
     
       1. A refining process comprising the steps of: 
       (1) preparing a first mixture of  mixing alcohol  ethanol and butane to provide a first mixture;  
       (2) adjusting said pressure of said mixture to a magnitude within the range of 10 to 50 pounds per square inch;  
       (3) adjusting said temperature of said mixture to a magnitude within the range of 100 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit;  
       (4) adjusting the pressure of said mixture to a pressure within the range of 500 to 1000 pounds per square inch;  
       (5   2 ) catalyzing said mixture with a platinum catalyst by conducting said mixture through a catalyst bed at an elevated pressure and elevated temperature which are sufficient to produce a catalyzed mixture;  
       (6   3 ) lowering the temperature of said catalyzed mixture to a magnitudetemperature within the range of from about 90 to about 190 degrees Fahrenheit;  
       (7   4 ) separating out liquid and  gas from said catalyzed mixture to provide a first liquid product;  
       (8   5 ) preparingmixing the first liquid product with methanol to provide a second mixture of said product and methanol , and  
       (9   6 ) repeating steps (2) through 7 4 above on said second mixture to produce a second liquid product plus gas.  
     
     
       2. The refining process of claim  1  in which said first mixture is substantially ⅔ ethanol and ⅓ butane. 
     
     
       3. The refining process of claim  2  in which said second mixture is substantially ⅓ of said first product and ⅔ methanol. 
     
     
       4. The refining process of claim  1 , wherein said catalyzing step is conducted at a temperature ranging from about  100 ° to about  350 ° F. 
     
     
       5. The refining process of claim  4 , wherein said catalyzing step is conducted at a pressure ranging from about  500  to about  1000  pounds per square inch. 
     
     
       6. The refining process of claim  1 , wherein the first liquid product has a research octane rating ranging from about  108  to about  160  and a vapor pressure ranging from about  1 . 5  to about  8  psi. 
     
     
       7. The refining process of claim  1 , wherein the first mixture further comprises natural gasoline. 
     
     
       8. The refining process of claim  1 , wherein the first mixture comprises from about  5  to about  50 % ethanol, from about  50  to about  95 % natural gasoline and from about  3  to about  40 % butane. 
     
     
       9. The refining process of claim  1 , wherein the second liquid product has a research octane rating of about  162 . 8 . 
     
     
       10. A high octane fuel composition comprising a mixture of relatively low octane fuel and relatively high octane alcohol composition, said high octane alcohol composition being made by a process comprising the steps of: 
       (   1   )  mixing ethanol and a hydrocarbon material selected from the group consisting of butane, natural gasoline, pentane, iso - pentane and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing to provide a first mixture;    
       (   2   )  raising the temperature of the mixture to an elevated temperature of at least about  500  pounds per square inch,    
       (   3   )  catalyzing the mixture with a platinum catalyst in a catalyst bed at the elevated pressure and elevated temperature which are sufficient to produce a catalyzed mixture,    
       (   4   )  lowering the temperature of the catalyzed mixture to a temperature within a range of from about  90  to about  190 ° F.,    
       (   5   )  separating gas from said catalyzed mixture to provide a first liquid product comprising a high octane alcohol composition,    
       (   6   )  mixing the first liquid product with methanol to provide a second mixture, and    
       (   7   )  repeating steps  (   2   )  through  (   5   )  above on said mixture to produce a second liquid product plus gas.   
     
     
       11. The fuel composition of claim  10 , wherein the first mixture comprises ⅔ ethanol and ⅓ butane. 
     
     
       12. The fuel composition of claim  10 , wherein said catalyzing step is conducted at a temperature ranging from about  100 ° to about  350 ° F. 
     
     
       13. The fuel composition of claim  10 , wherein said catalyzing step is conducted at a pressure ranging from about  500  to about  1000  pounds per square inch. 
     
     
       14. The fuel composition of claim  10  wherein said fuel composition has a vapor pressure ranging from about  4  to about  19  psi. 
     
     
       15. The fuel composition of claim  10  wherein said high octane alcohol composition has a research octane rating ranging from about  108  to about  160  and a vapor pressure ranging from about  1 . 5  to about  8  psi. 
     
     
       16. A refining process comprising the steps of: 
       (   1   )  mixing ethanol and a hydrocarbon material selected from butane, natural gasoline, pentane, iso - pentane and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing to provide a first mixture;    
       (   2   )  catalyzing said mixture with a platinum catalyst by conducting said mixture through a catalyst bed at an elevated pressure and elevated temperature which are sufficient to produce a catalyzed mixture;    
       (   3   )  lowering the temperature of said catalyzed mixture to a temperature within the range of from about  90  to about  190 ° F.;    
       (   4   )  separating gas from said catalyzed mixture to provide a first liquid product;    
       (   5   )  mixing said first liquid product with methanol to provide a second mixture, and    
       (   6   )  repeating steps  (   2   )  through  (   4   )  above on said second mixture to produce a second liquid product plus gas.   
     
     
       17. The refining process of claim  16 , wherein said catalyzing step is conducted at a temperature ranging from about  100 ° to about  350 ° F. 
     
     
       18. The refining process of claim  17 , wherein said catalyzing step is conducted at a pressure ranging from about  500  to about  1000  pounds per square inch. 
     
     
       19. The refining process of claim  16 , wherein the first liquid product has a research octane rating ranging from about  108  to about  160  and a vapor pressure ranging from about  1 . 5  to about  8  psi. 
     
     
       20. The refining process of claim  16 , wherein the first mixture further comprises natural gasoline and ethanol. 
     
     
       21. The refining process of claim  16 , wherein the first mixture comprises from about  5  to about  50 % ethanol, from about  50  to about  95 % natural gasoline. 
     
     
       22. The refining process of claim  21 , wherein the first mixture further comprises from about  3  to about  40 % butane or iso- pentane.   
     
     
       23. The refining process of claim  16 , wherein the second liquid product has a research octane rating of about  162 . 8 . 
     
     
       24. The refining process of claim  16 , wherein the first mixture comprises from about  5  to about  50 % ethanol and from about  50  to about  95 % hydrocarbon material. 
     
     
       25. The refining process of claim  16 , wherein the hydrocarbon material further comprises from about  3  to about  40 % butane. 
     
     
       26. The refining process of claim  16 , wherein the first mixture comprises about one third ethanol and about two thirds natural gasoline. 
     
     
       27. The refining process of claim  16 , wherein the first mixture comprises about  10 % ethanol and  90 % natural gasoline. 
     
     
       28. The refining process of claim  16 , wherein said catalyzing step is conducted at a pressure ranging from about  500  to about  1000  pounds per square inch.