US 11,724,972 B2Granted

Combined process for alkylation of light olefins using ionic liquid catalysts

AssigneeUop LLC

InventorsMatthew C. Cole, Dominic P. Weber, Rajeswar R. Gattupalli, Hye Kyung Timken, Huping Luo, Bong Kyu Chang, Rebecca Mudrock

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Abstract

Processes for the direct alkylation of ethylene with isobutane or isopentane using a highly active ionic liquid alkylation catalyst are described. Ethylene is sent to a high-temperature alkylation reactor loop, and C3, C4, and C5 olefins are routed to a low temperature alkylation reactor loop. In each reactor, the olefins are contacted with an excess of isobutane or isopentane in the presence of a highly active ionic liquid catalyst. Portions of the reactor effluent streams are fed to a common downstream catalyst separation and product fractionation sections. The remainder of the reactor effluent is recycled back to the respective alkylation reactor.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An integrated process for ionic liquid alkylation of C2 to C5 olefins comprising:

reacting an ethylene feed stream comprising ethylene and an isoparaffin feed stream comprising isobutane in the presence of an ionic liquid catalyst comprising an ionic liquid in a high-temperature alkylation reactor under first alkylation reaction conditions to form a first alkylation effluent stream comprising ionic liquid, isobutane, and alkylate, wherein the first alkylation reaction conditions comprise a temperature in a range of 30° C. to 100° C. and a pressure in a range of 100 psig to 1000 psig;
reacting a C3-C5 olefin feed stream comprising olefins having 3 to 5 carbon atoms and a second isoparaffin feed stream comprising isobutane in the presence of a second ionic liquid catalyst comprising ionic liquid in a low temperature alkylation reactor under second alkylation reaction conditions to form a second alkylation effluent stream comprising ionic liquid, isobutane, and alkylate, wherein the second alkylation reaction conditions comprise a temperature in a range of 0° C. to 35° C. and a pressure in a range of 40 psig to 300 psig;
combining a first portion of the first alkylation effluent stream and a first portion of the second alkylation effluent streams to form a combined stream;
separating the combined stream into an ionic liquid recycle stream comprising ionic liquid and a hydrocarbon stream comprising isobutane and alkylate;
separating the hydrocarbon stream into an isoparaffin recycle stream comprising isobutane and an alkylate stream comprising alkylate;
and
recovering the alkylate stream.

4 more elements

An integrated process for ionic liquid alkylation of C2 to C5 olefins comprising:

reacting an ethylene feed stream comprising ethylene and an isoparaffin feed stream comprising isobutane with an ionic liquid catalyst comprising an ionic liquid in a high temperature alkylation reactor under first alkylation reaction conditions to form a first alkylation effluent stream comprising the first ionic liquid, the isoparaffin, and alkylate, wherein the first alkylation reaction conditions comprise a temperature in a range of 30° C. to 100° C., a pressure in a range of 100 psig to 1000 psig, an overall paraffin to ethylene molar ratio of 2:1 to 20:1, and a residence time in a range of 5 minutes to 1 hr;
reacting a C3-C5 olefin feed stream comprising olefins having 3 to 5 carbon atoms and a second isoparaffin feed stream comprising isobutane with the ionic liquid catalyst in a low temperature alkylation reactor under second alkylation reaction conditions to form a second alkylation effluent stream comprising the second ionic liquid, the isoparaffin, and alkylate, wherein the second alkylation reaction conditions comprise a temperature in a range of 0° C. to 35° C., comprise a pressure in a range of 40 psig to 300 psig, an overall paraffin to olefin molar ratio of 2:1 to 20:1, and a residence time in a range of 1 minute to 1 hr;
dividing the first alkylation effluent stream into a first portion and a second portion;
heating the second portion of the first alkylation effluent stream and recycling the heated second portion of the first alkylation effluent stream to the high temperature alkylation reactor;
dividing the second alkylation effluent stream into a first portion and a second portion;
cooling the second portion of the second alkylation effluent stream and recycling the cooled second portion of the second alkylation effluent stream to the low temperature alkylation reactor;
combining the first portion of the first alkylation effluent stream and the first portion of the second alkylation effluent streams to form a combined stream;
separating the combined stream into an ionic liquid recycle stream comprising the ionic liquid and a hydrocarbon stream comprising the isoparaffin and the alkylate;
separating the hydrocarbon stream into an isoparaffin recycle stream comprising the isoparaffin and an alkylate stream comprising the alkylate;
recycling the isoparaffin recycle stream to the high temperature alkylation reactor, the low temperature reactor, or both;
recycling the ionic liquid recycle stream to the high temperature alkylation reactor, the low temperature reactor, or both;
and
recovering the alkylate stream.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/935,962Filed 28 Sep 2022 · us provisional application
Priority: 15 Dec 2021
Published: US 2023/0183150 A115 Jun 2023
Granted: 15 Aug 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

C07C 2/60
Catalytic processes: with halides
B01J 31/0278
Comprising ionic liquids, as components in catalyst systems or catalysts per se, the ionic liquid compounds being used in the molten state at…
B01J 31/0284
The nitrogen being a ring member: of an aromatic ring, e.g. pyridinium
B01J 31/0298
Comprising ionic liquids, as components in catalyst systems or catalysts per se, the ionic liquid compounds being used in the molten state at…