FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970. (39 OF 1970)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION [See sections 10 and Rule 13]
TITLE A PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING METHYL
AMINES
APPLICANT BALAJI AMINES LIMITED
ADDRESS 165/A, Balaji Bhavan, Railway Lines, Solapur 413 001.
NATIONALITY Indian
The following specification describes the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:

2
TITLE
A IMPROVED PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING METHYL AMINES FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an improved process for manufacturing Methyl Amines by a catalytic reaction between Methanol and Ammonia.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The catalyzed reaction of Methanol and Ammonia to produce Mono, Di, and Trimethylamines is well known in various prior arts. Currently the trend is to produce the Methyl Amines by a continous process by using an amorphous Silica - Alumina Catalyst. This continuous process yields an equilibrium controlled distribution of Methyl Amines. However, this process requires lot of heat and power.
As per US Patent No. 3384667 a process is adopted for producing mono substituted and distributed amines in preference to tri substituted amines by reacting Ammonia with an Alcohol in the presence of crystalline metal alumino silicate catalyst having pores of a diameter that will pass through the mono substituted and di-substituted amine products. But this suffers from a difficulty to pass tri-substituted amine products.
US Patent No. 4082805 discloses a process for production of aliphatic amines by reaction of C. sub. l-C.Sub.5 Alcohol or ether with ammonia in presence of catalyst comprising a crystalline alumino silicate having the structure of ZSM-5, ZSM-11, or ZSM-21, at 300° to 500° Centigrade and at 1 atm to 1000 psig pressure, the feed rate of alcohol or ether and ammonia being within the ratio of 1:1 to 5:1 g/hr.
US Patent No. 4752596 which discloses the production of DiMethylamine by reacting Methanol or DiMethyl Ether and Ammonia in the presence of a catalyst which is an acid Zeolite selected from Chbazite, Eriomite, ZK-5 and rho optionally modified by treatment with compounds

3
containing Silicon, Aluminium, Phosphorous or Boron.
It is always the desire of the industry to have a process wherein Methanol conversion rate which would offer advantages such as lower inlet temperature permitting lower Ammonia Methanol feed ratio and less excess Ammonia to handle.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to carry out a process to produce Mono Methyl, DiMethyl and TriMethyl Amines with the higher conversion rate. The other object of invention is to design the reactor and other heat recovery systems which are capable of heat recoveries to the maximum possible extent. Also, the other object of invention is to re-utilise the heat recovered in the distillation columns for either pre-heating the feed or generating vapour in the re-boilers of the
distillation columns. Also, it is the object of the invention to considerably reduce the Steam and Power consumption for the combined products produced.
DETAILED DESCRD7TION OF THE INVENTION
Fresh Ammonia from the day tank is pumped through the condenser of the Dehydration column, where the Latent heat of the vapors of the column is utilized in pre-heating the Ammonia, which is then passed through another heat exchanger where heat is exchanged from the out let gases of the Reactor. This vaporizes the entire Ammonia in the stream. Recycle Ammonia from the distillation column overhead is pumped through a series of heat exchangers to ensure that the Ammonia is completely vaporized. Reactor outlet gases temperature is utilized in vaporising this Ammonia. It is then combined with the fresh Ammonia stream and fed to a steam heated Vaporiser.
Fresh Methanol from the day tank is pumped through a series of heat exchangers where it is pre-heated , first with the Reactor outlet gases and then with the bottoms stream of the Dehydration column which is at a high temperature. Methanol after this heat exchange is then combined with the Ammonia stream before the steam heated Vaporizer. The combined stream is heated in the vaporizer and fed to a series of heat exchangers where

4
heat from the Reactor outlet gases is utilized in raising the temperature sufficient enough to keep the Electric Heaters requirement to a minimum.
Recycle Tri Methyl Amine and Mono Methyl Amine from the respective tanks are pumped through a series of heat exchangers where heat from the Dehydration column bottoms and Reactor outlet gases is utilized in raising the temperature of the stream to the desired level before they are admitted into the reactor stream along with Ammonia and Methanol stream.
Distillation of the Reaction mixture from the Reactor, containing excess Ammonia, MMA, DMA , TMA and water formed in the reaction is carried out as per the well known techniques in distillation. However, in the present improvement, vapors of the Tri Methyl Amine column are utilized in the Re-boiler of the MMA distillation column as a heating medium thereby reducing the requirement of steam for the re-boiler and also in the reduction of the cooling water requirement for condensing the TMA vapors.


Dated this 25th day of January 2007
To
The Controller of Patents,
The Patent Office, at Mumbai.