Zeolite, process for making same, and use thereof in converting aromatic hydrocarbons
AssigneeExxonMobil Engineering & Technology Company
InventorsPaul Podsiadlo, Eric D. Metzger, Wenyih F. Lai, Ali A. Kheir, Dominick A. Zurlo, Jocelyn A. Gilcrest, Kathleen M. Keville
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Abstract
Novel MEL framework type zeolites can be made to have small crystallite sizes and desirable silica/SiO2 molar ratios. Catalyst compositions comprising such MEL framework type zeolites can be particularly advantageous in isomerization C8 aromatic mixtures. An isomerization process for converting C8 aromatic hydrocarbons can advantageously utilize a catalyst composition comprising a MEL framework type zeolite.
Claims22
A process for converting an aromatic hydrocarbon feed comprising C8 aromatic hydrocarbons, the process comprising:
- (I) feeding the aromatic hydrocarbon feed into a conversion reactor;
- and
- (II) contacting the C8 aromatic hydrocarbons at least partly in a liquid phase with a conversion catalyst composition comprising a first zeolite in the conversion reactor under conversion conditions to effect isomerization of at least a portion of the C8 aromatic hydrocarbons to produce a conversion product effluent, wherein the first zeolite is of MEL framework type, wherein the conversion catalyst composition comprises a plurality of crystallites, wherein at least 75% of the crystallites have a crystallite size of at most 200 nanometers as determined by transmission electron scope image analysis, and the conversion catalyst composition comprises the MEL framework type zeolite at a concentration of at least 50 wt %, based on the total weight of all zeolites present in the conversion catalyst composition.
A process for converting an aromatic hydrocarbon feed comprising C8 aromatic hydrocarbons, the process comprising:
- (I) feeding the aromatic hydrocarbon feed into a conversion reactor;
- and
- (II) contacting the C8 aromatic hydrocarbons substantially in liquid phase with a conversion catalyst composition in the conversion reactor under conversion conditions to effect isomerization of at least a portion of the C8 aromatic hydrocarbons to produce a conversion product effluent, wherein the conversion conditions comprise an absolute pressure sufficient to maintain the C8 hydrocarbons substantially in liquid phase, a temperature in the range from 150 to 300° C., and a WHSV in the range from 2.5 to 20 hour−1, wherein the conversion catalyst composition comprises a first zeolite material of the MEL framework type, the first zeolite material has a silica to alumina molar ratio in the range from 20 to 40 and comprises a plurality of crystallites, at least 75% of the crystallites have crystallite size of at most 200 nanometers as determined by transmission electron scope image analysis, and the conversion catalyst composition comprises the MEL first zeolite at a concentration of at least 50 wt %, based on the total weight of all zeolites present in the conversion catalyst composition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.