Continuous process for the synthesis of monoethanolamine, diethanolamine and triethanolamine

摘要

Production of ethanolamines comprises reacting ammonia with ethylene oxide in the presence of water in a pressurized reactive distillation column equipped with a reboiler. The energy supply to the reboiler and the ammonia:ethylene oxide ratio in the feed stream are controlled so that the bottoms stream can be separated into an ammonia and water stream and a mono-, di- and triethanolamine stream. Production of mono-, di- and triethanolamine comprises liquid-phase reaction of ammonia with ethylene oxide in the presence of water in a pressurized reactive distillation column (I) equipped with a reboiler, where the mono:di:triethanolamine ratio is controlled by the energy supply to the reboiler and the ammonia content of the bottoms stream is controlled by the ammonia:ethylene oxide ratio in the feed stream so that the bottoms stream can be separated into an ammonia and water stream and a mono-, di- and triethanolamine stream in a single distillation column (II).