Aromatic alkylation process
AssigneeUop LLC
InventorsGregory B. Kuzmanich, Richard A. Johnson, II, Joseph A. Montalbano, Feng Xu, Robert E. Tsai
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Abstract
Processes and apparatuses for alkylating aromatic hydrocarbons with an alkylating reagent to produce an alkylated aromatic product are described. The processes and apparatuses use a riser reactor operated at a superficial velocity of 10 m/s to 25 m/s to produce the alkylated aromatic product. In some embodiments, a combination of steam and aromatic hydrocarbon is used to lift the catalyst.
Claims19
A process for alkylating an aromatic hydrocarbon with an alkylating reagent to produce an alkylated aromatic product, comprising:
- passing an aromatic hydrocarbon feed stream comprising an aromatic hydrocarbon and an alkylating reagent feed stream comprising an alkylating reagent to a riser reactor operated at a superficial velocity of 10 m/s to 25 m/s in the presence of a catalyst to produce a reaction mixture comprising the alkylated aromatic product, light olefins, and unreacted aromatic hydrocarbon, wherein the riser reactor comprises an operating catalyst density of about 325 kg/m3 to 600 kg/m3;
- and
- recovering the alkylated aromatic product.
A process for alkylating an aromatic hydrocarbon with an alkylating reagent comprising methanol to produce an alkylated aromatic product, comprising:
- passing an aromatic hydrocarbon feed stream comprising toluene and a methanol feed stream to a riser reactor operated at a superficial velocity of 8 m/s to 25 m/s in the presence of a catalyst to produce a reaction mixture comprising the alkylated aromatic product comprising xylene, light olefins, and unreacted toluene, wherein an operating catalyst density is about 325 kg/m3 to 600 kg/m3 and a para-xylene/xylene ratio of the alkylated aromatic product is greater than 0.90;
- separating the reaction mixture in a light olefins column into a light olefins overhead stream comprising the light olefins and a light olefins bottom stream comprising the alkylated aromatic product and the unreacted toluene;
- separating the light olefins bottom stream in an aromatics column into an aromatics overhead stream comprising the unreacted toluene and an aromatics bottom stream comprising the aromatics product;
- and
- recycling the aromatics overhead stream to the riser reactor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.