A process for the production of alkyl ethers including feeding a hydrocarbon feedstock and a first alcohol feedstock to a fixed bed reactor containing an etherification catalyst. The hydrocarbon feedstock and the first alcohol feedstock are contacted in the first fixed bed reactor to react the isoolefins with the alcohol in the presence of the etherification catalyst to produce a first product stream. The first product stream is fed together with a hydrogen feedstock and a second alcohol feedstock to a catalytic distillation reaction system containing a trifunctional catalyst to concurrently isomerize at least a portion of the alpha-olefins, hydrogenate at least a portion of the diolefins, and etherify at least a portion of the isoolefins and alcohol, producing a bottoms product comprising the one or more ethers and an overhead product comprising n-alkanes, isoalkanes, unreacted alpha-olefins, unreacted internal-olefins, unreacted isoolefins, and unreacted alcohol.

A process for the production of alkyl ethers including feeding a hydrocarbon feedstock and a first alcohol feedstock to a fixed bed reactor containing an etherification catalyst. The hydrocarbon feedstock and the first alcohol feedstock are contacted in the first fixed bed reactor to react the isoolefins with the alcohol in the presence of the etherification catalyst to produce a first product stream. The first product stream is fed together with a hydrogen feedstock and a second alcohol feedstock to a catalytic distillation reaction system containing a trifunctional catalyst to concurrently isomerize at least a portion of the alpha-olefins, hydrogenate at least a portion of the diolefins, and etherify at least a portion of the isoolefins and alcohol, producing a bottoms product comprising the one or more ethers and an overhead product comprising n-alkanes, isoalkanes, unreacted alpha-olefins, unreacted internal-olefins, unreacted isoolefins, and unreacted alcohol.

Systems and methods for producing MTBE are disclosed. A C.sub.4 feed stream containing isobutylene and other C.sub.4 hydrocarbons is fed into a reactor unit for producing MTBE. The effluent of the reactor unit comprising MTBE is further processed to produce a MTBE product stream that comprises at least 90 wt. % MTBE. At least a portion of the MTBE product stream is then recycled back to the reactor unit.

Systems and methods for producing MTBE are disclosed. A C.sub.4 feed stream containing isobutylene and other C.sub.4 hydrocarbons is fed into a reactor unit for producing MTBE. The effluent of the reactor unit comprising MTBE is further processed to produce a MTBE product stream that comprises at least 90 wt. % MTBE. At least a portion of the MTBE product stream is then recycled back to the reactor unit.

Systems and methods for producing MTBE are disclosed. A C.sub.4 feed stream containing isobutylene and other C.sub.4 hydrocarbons is fed into a reactor unit for producing MTBE. The effluent of the reactor unit comprising MTBE is further processed to produce a MTBE product stream that comprises at least 90 wt. % MTBE. At least a portion of the MTBE product stream is then recycled back to the reactor unit.

Systems and methods for producing propylene using an MTBE synthesis raffinate are disclosed. An MTBE synthesis raffinate stream first passes through a molecular sieve to separate n-butane and isobutane from the rest of C.sub.4 hydrocarbons of the MTBE synthesis raffinate. The 1-butene in the rest of C.sub.4 hydrocarbons of the MTBE synthesis raffinate is then isomerized to form 2-butene. Therefore, the concentration of 2-butene in the subsequent propylene production process increases due to the separation of n-butane and isobutane and the isomerization of 1-butene, resulting in an improved reaction rate and reaction efficiency for propylene production.

Systems and methods for producing propylene using an MTBE synthesis raffinate are disclosed. An MTBE synthesis raffinate stream first passes through a molecular sieve to separate n-butane and isobutane from the rest of C.sub.4 hydrocarbons of the MTBE synthesis raffinate. The 1-butene in the rest of C.sub.4 hydrocarbons of the MTBE synthesis raffinate is then isomerized to form 2-butene. Therefore, the concentration of 2-butene in the subsequent propylene production process increases due to the separation of n-butane and isobutane and the isomerization of 1-butene, resulting in an improved reaction rate and reaction efficiency for propylene production.

Systems and methods for producing propylene using an MTBE synthesis raffinate are disclosed. An MTBE synthesis raffinate stream first passes through a molecular sieve to separate n-butane and isobutane from the rest of C.sub.4 hydrocarbons of the MTBE synthesis raffinate. The 1-butene in the rest of C.sub.4 hydrocarbons of the MTBE synthesis raffinate is then isomerized to form 2-butene. Therefore, the concentration of 2-butene in the subsequent propylene production process increases due to the separation of n-butane and isobutane and the isomerization of 1-butene, resulting in an improved reaction rate and reaction efficiency for propylene production.

Systems and processes disclosed may be used to produce a high purity isobutane stream and a high purity 1-butene stream from mixed C4 streams having disparate starting compositions.

Systems and processes disclosed may be used to produce a high purity isobutane stream and a high purity 1-butene stream from mixed C4 streams having disparate starting compositions.