| abstract |
For the separation of butanes and butenes by extractive distillation, a charge mainly containing butanes and butenes is contacted in an extractive distillation column under pressure with a polar solvent (e.g., dimethyl formamide), the butanes being collected at the head. The solvent containing the butenes passes into a second column under pressure, where the butenes are partly desorbed and collected at the head. The solvent still containing butenes is purified in a third column under atmospheric pressure and the solvent-containing vapor distillate thereof is returned, after compression, to the lower part of the second column. |