# US 10,370,307 B2 · Process for the oligomerization of olefins employing a cleaning device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,307 B2 - Document ID: US10370307B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/850,641 - Filed: 2017-12-21 - Published: 2018-06-28 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-22 - Assignees: Axens; Ifp Energies Nouvelles - Applicants: Axens; IFP Energies Nouvelles - Inventors: Catherine Boutrot; Nicolas Janot; Xavier Liege; Etienne Niderkorn; Jerome Pigourier; Daniel Jean Vinel; Frederic Favre; Lionel Magna - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370307B2 ## CPC - C07C 2/08: Catalytic processes - B01D 3/14: Fractional distillation {or use of a fractionation or rectification column} - B01J 19/002: {Avoiding undesirable reactions or side-effects, e.g. avoiding explosions, or improving the yield by suppressing side-reactions} - B01J 19/24: Stationary reactors without moving elements inside (B01J19/08, B01J19/26 take precedence; with stationary particles B01J8/02) - B01J 19/2465: {externally, i.e. the mixture leaving the vessel and subsequently re-entering it} - C07C 2/30: containing metal-to-carbon bond; Metal hydrides - F28D 15/00: Heat-exchange apparatus with the intermediate heat-transfer medium in closed tubes passing into or through the conduit walls {; Heat-exchange apparatus employing intermediate heat-transfer medium or bodies (F28D17/00, F28D19/00, F28D20/00 take precedence)} - F28G 9/00: Cleaning by flushing or washing, e.g. with chemical solvents (appliances using jets of fluid for removing debris F28G1/16, F28G3/16) - B01J 2219/00006: Large-scale industrial plants - B01J 2219/00103: in a heat exchanger separate from the reactor - B01J 2219/00247: Fouling of the reactor or the process equipment - B01J 2219/00252: Formation of deposits other than coke - B01J 2219/00254: Formation of unwanted polymer, such as "pop-corn" - B01J 2231/20: Olefin oligomerisation or telomerisation - C08F 210/16: Copolymers of ethene with alpha-alkenes, e.g. EP rubbers - F28D 2021/0022: {for chemical reactors} - C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - F28G: CLEANING OF INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL SURFACES OF HEAT-EXCHANGE OR HEAT-TRANSFER CONDUITS, e.g. WATER TUBES OR BOILERS (cleaning pipes or tubes in general B08B9/02; devices or arrangements for removing water, minerals, or sludge from boilers while the boiler is in operation, or which remain in position while the boiler is in operation, or are specifically adapted to boilers without any other utility F22B37/48; removal or treatment of combustion products or combustion residues F23J; removing ice from heat-exchange apparatus F28F17/00) - C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS ## Abstract The invention concerns a process for the oligomerization of ethylene into alpha-olefins, comprising a step for the oligomerization of ethylene, a step for deactivation of the catalyst, a and step for separation of the products, the reactor being provided with a cooling loop (100, 101, 102) by means of which at least a portion of the reaction effluent is moved through at least two switchable heat exchangers, said heat exchangers being cleaned alternately by means of an integrated cleaning device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for oligomerization of ethylene into alpha-olefins, comprising: oligomerizing the ethylene in a reaction section (1) comprising a reactor (10), in the presence of a catalyst, and optionally a diluent, to produce a reaction effluent, deactivating the catalyst contained in the reaction effluent, evaporating in an evaporation section (2) the reaction effluent in order to separate a portion of the reactant effluent from the deactivated catalyst, and separating in a separation section (3) products contained in the reaction effluent, said reactor being provided with at least one cooling loop (100 a/b, 101 a/b, 102a/b), by which reaction medium is caused to move through at least two switchable heat exchangers which are capable of being connected to the at least one cooling loop in a manner such that when at least one heat exchanger is operatively connected to the at least one cooling loop, the other heat exchanger is disconnected and undergoes cleaning by a cleaning device in which a cleaning solvent which is capable of cleaning said heat exchanger is caused to move in a loop of solvent of the cleaning device, the cleaning device comprising: a cleaning solvent storage drum (40); a heat exchanger (43) heating the cleaning solvent to a temperature above 130° C. in a manner such as to allow the polymer deposited in the disconnected heat exchanger to be dissolved thereby producing a charged solvent; and a recirculation pump (42) moving the cleaning solvent in the loop of solvent of the cleaning device through the cleaning solvent storage drum (40), the heat exchanger (43) and the disconnected heat exchanger which is to be cleaned, wherein the process further comprises sending at least a portion of cleaning solvent obtained from the loop of solvent of the cleaning device to the evaporation section (2). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, in which the reaction effluent is moved in a heat exchanger (20) in which the reaction effluent is vaporized in the evaporation section (2). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, in which the unreacted ethylene separated in the separation section (3) is recycled to the reactor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, in which the heat exchanger (43) heats the cleaning solvent to a temperature of more than 150° C. in a manner such as to dissolve polymer deposited in the disconnected heat exchanger. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, in which the charged solvent has a concentration of polymers and heavy oligomers less than 5% by weight with respect to the cleaning solvent. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, in which the cleaning solvent is a saturated hydrocarbon; unsaturated hydrocarbon; aromatic hydrocarbon; a gasoline, diesel or kerosene cut; or an isoparaffin; used alone or as a mixture. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, in which at least a portion of the cleaning solvent comes from the separation in the separation section (3). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, in which at least a portion of the cleaning solvent originates from heavier compound fractions and/or from an optional diluent separated from the separation section (3). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, in which a filter (39) is employed on the loop of solvent of the cleaning device for moving cleaning solvent (402, 403, 404, 405). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1 in which, once the polymer has been dissolved in the cleaning solvent, at least a portion of charged cleaning solvent is depressurized and directed towards a partial vaporization step by means of a flash drum 46, in order to produce at least one vapor phase 409 and at least one liquid phase 410. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, in which the ethylene oligomerization process is a process for dimerization of ethylene to 1-butene. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, in which the ethylene oligomerization process is a process for the trimerization of ethylene to 1-hexene. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, in which the ethylene oligomerization process is a process for tetramerization of ethylene to 1-octene.