The method of the present invention for producing 1,3-butadiene includes: vaporizing an ethanol feedstock in a vaporizer (104), supplying the feedstock to two or more parallel first reactors (108) to convert ethanol into acetaldehyde in the presence of a first catalyst; supplying a resulting intermediate gas to a second reactor (110) to convert ethanol and acetaldehyde into 1,3-butadiene in the presence of a second catalyst; purifying a resulting crude gas containing 1,3-butadiene by a gas-liquid separator (112), a first distillation column (114), a fourth reactor (116), and a second distillation column (118); and supplying an oxygen-containing gas to at least one of the two or more parallel first reactors (108) under specific conditions, while discharging a carbon dioxide-containing gas from the first reactor (108), to thereby regenerate the first catalyst, while continuing the conversion reaction.

The method of the present invention for producing 1,3-butadiene includes: vaporizing an ethanol feedstock in a vaporizer (104), supplying the feedstock to two or more parallel first reactors (108) to convert ethanol into acetaldehyde in the presence of a first catalyst; supplying a resulting intermediate gas to a second reactor (110) to convert ethanol and acetaldehyde into 1,3-butadiene in the presence of a second catalyst; purifying a resulting crude gas containing 1,3-butadiene by a gas-liquid separator (112), a first distillation column (114), a fourth reactor (116), and a second distillation column (118); and supplying an oxygen-containing gas to at least one of the two or more parallel first reactors (108) under specific conditions, while discharging a carbon dioxide-containing gas from the first reactor (108), to thereby regenerate the first catalyst, while continuing the conversion reaction.

A method of making fuel including adding alcohol to a reactor with a zinc dihalide salt and heating the reactor to reflux, thereby forming a mixture. Water is removed from the mixture using azeotropic distillation. The mixture is distilled, thereby forming oligo(alkenes).sub.n and residual alcohol. The oligo(alkenes).sub.n are distilled using fractionation, thereby forming a first, a second, a third fraction, and removing the residual alcohol. The first fraction includes oligo(alkenes).sub.n with n ranging from 2 to 4, the second fraction includes oligo(alkenes).sub.n with n ranging from 4 to 8, and the third fraction includes oligo(alkenes).sub.n with n ranging from 8 to 12. The first, second, and third fractions are hydrogenated, thereby forming oligo(alkanes).sub.n. The first fraction includes oligo(alkanes).sub.n with n ranging from 2 to 4, the second fraction includes oligo(alkanes).sub.n with n ranging from 4 to 8, and the third fraction includes oligo(alkanes).sub.n with n ranging from 8 to 12.

A method of making fuel including adding alcohol to a reactor with a zinc dihalide salt and heating the reactor to reflux, thereby forming a mixture. Water is removed from the mixture using azeotropic distillation. The mixture is distilled, thereby forming oligo(alkenes).sub.n and residual alcohol. The oligo(alkenes).sub.n are distilled using fractionation, thereby forming a first, a second, a third fraction, and removing the residual alcohol. The first fraction includes oligo(alkenes).sub.n with n ranging from 2 to 4, the second fraction includes oligo(alkenes).sub.n with n ranging from 4 to 8, and the third fraction includes oligo(alkenes).sub.n with n ranging from 8 to 12. The first, second, and third fractions are hydrogenated, thereby forming oligo(alkanes).sub.n. The first fraction includes oligo(alkanes).sub.n with n ranging from 2 to 4, the second fraction includes oligo(alkanes).sub.n with n ranging from 4 to 8, and the third fraction includes oligo(alkanes).sub.n with n ranging from 8 to 12.

Processes and systems for separating a mixture of three or more chemical components into multiple product streams each enriched in one of the components are provided herein. In some aspects, the present invention relates to processes for the separation of a chemical mixture including at least a heavy key component, an intermediate key component, and a light key component to form a product stream enriched in the light key component, a product stream enriched in the intermediate key component, and a product stream enriched in the heavy key component. Systems described herein may include one or more thermally coupled distillation columns including, for example, a dividing wall column, or a plurality of distillation columns arranged in a thermally integrated configuration.

Processes and systems for separating a mixture of three or more chemical components into multiple product streams each enriched in one of the components are provided herein. In some aspects, the present invention relates to processes for the separation of a chemical mixture including at least a heavy key component, an intermediate key component, and a light key component to form a product stream enriched in the light key component, a product stream enriched in the intermediate key component, and a product stream enriched in the heavy key component. Systems described herein may include one or more thermally coupled distillation columns including, for example, a dividing wall column, or a plurality of distillation columns arranged in a thermally integrated configuration.

Processes and systems for separating a mixture of three or more chemical components into multiple product streams each enriched in one of the components are provided herein. In some aspects, the present invention relates to processes for the separation of a chemical mixture including at least a heavy key component, an intermediate key component, and a light key component to form a product stream enriched in the light key component, a product stream enriched in the intermediate key component, and a product stream enriched in the heavy key component. Systems described herein may include one or more thermally coupled distillation columns including, for example, a dividing wall column, or a plurality of distillation columns arranged in a thermally integrated configuration.

The invention relates to a method for producing butadiene that is fed with a butanediol feedstock, with said method comprising at least: a) An esterification step comprising: A reaction section; A separation section producing a butanediol diester effluent, a water effluent, and a carboxylic acid effluent; b) An esterification pyrolysis step; c) A separation step comprising at least: A cooling section producing a liquid pyrolysis effluent and a vapor pyrolysis effluent; A gas-liquid washing section that is fed at the top with a fraction of the carboxylic acid effluent that is obtained from the separation section of step a) and at the bottom with said vapor pyrolysis effluent and producing at the top a butadiene effluent and at the bottom a washing effluent; in which a carboxylic-acid-rich stream comprising at least a portion of the liquid pyrolysis effluent is recycled to step a); d) A separation step.

The invention relates to a method for producing butadiene that is fed with a butanediol feedstock, with said method comprising at least: a) An esterification step comprising: A reaction section; A separation section producing a butanediol diester effluent, a water effluent, and a carboxylic acid effluent; b) An esterification pyrolysis step; c) A separation step comprising at least: A cooling section producing a liquid pyrolysis effluent and a vapor pyrolysis effluent; A gas-liquid washing section that is fed at the top with a fraction of the carboxylic acid effluent that is obtained from the separation section of step a) and at the bottom with said vapor pyrolysis effluent and producing at the top a butadiene effluent and at the bottom a washing effluent; in which a carboxylic-acid-rich stream comprising at least a portion of the liquid pyrolysis effluent is recycled to step a); d) A separation step.

A process is described for the separation of C.sub.5 hydrocarbons present, in a quantity ranging from 0.2 to 20% by weight, in streams prevalently containing C.sub.4 products used for the production of high-octane hydrocarbon compounds, by the selective dimerization of isobutene, characterized in that the dimerization reaction is carried out in the presence of linear and branched alcohols and alkyl ethers in a quantity which is such as to have a molar ratio alcohols/alkyl ethers/isobutene in the feeding higher than 0.01.