Complex comprising ODH unit with integrated oxygen separation module
AssigneeNOVA Chemicals (International) S.A.
InventorsKamal Serhal, Vasily Simanzhenkov, Shahin Goodarznia, David Gent, Mark Williamson
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Abstract
Oxidative dehydrogenation is an alternative to the energy extensive steam cracking process presently used for the production of olefins from paraffins, but has not been implemented commercially partially due to the unstable nature of hydrocarbon/oxygen mixtures, and partially due to the cost involved in the construction of new facilities. An oxidative dehydrogenation chemical complex designed to reduce costs by including integration of an oxygen separation module that also addresses safety concerns and reduces emission of greenhouse gases is described.
Claims15
A process for the oxidative dehydrogenation of a lower alkane into a corresponding alkene, the process comprising:
- i) contacting, in at least one oxidative dehydrogenation reactor, optionally in the presence of an inert diluent, an oxygen containing gas and a lower alkane containing gas, with an oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst to produce a product stream comprising the corresponding alkene, and one or more of:
- a. unreacted lower alkane;
- b. oxygen;
- c. inert diluent;
- d. carbon oxides, including carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide;
- e. oxygenates, including but not limited to, one or more of acetic acid, acrylic acid and maleic acid;
- and
- f. water;
- ii) passing the product stream from i) through a quench tower to remove oxygenates and water from the product stream;
- iii) passing the product stream from ii) through an amine wash to remove carbon dioxide from the product stream;
- iv) passing the product stream from iii) through a dryer to remove water;
- v) passing the product stream from iv) through a distillation tower to separate an overhead stream comprising C1 hydrocarbons and any other compounds lighter than C2/C2+ hydrocarbons;
- vi) passing the overhead stream from v) and optionally a combustible fuel into one or both of a retentate side and a permeate side of an oxygen separation module comprising an oxygen transport membrane;
- vii) introducing atmospheric air into the retentate side allowing for generation of heat by combustion of the overhead stream and the optional fuel within the retentate side to increase the temperature of the oxygen transport membrane to at least 850° C. permitting unreacted oxygen from the atmospheric air to cross the oxygen transport membrane into the permeate side producing an oxygen enriched gas on the permeate side and leaving an oxygen depleted air containing combustion products on the retentate side;
- viii) expelling the oxygen depleted air from the retentate side through an exhaust on the oxygen separation module;
- and
- x) removing the oxygen enriched gas through an oxygen rich outlet on the oxygen separation module;
- optionally, the oxygen enriched gas is directed back to i) as, or a portion of, the oxygen containing gas introduced into the oxidative dehydrogenation reactor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.