US 12,351,550 B2 · Separation processes for pyrolysis products of annular jet vortex chamber reactor

Abstract

A process for producing ethylene comprising introducing fuel, ethane/higher hydrocarbons, oxygen, steam to annular jet vortex chamber having combustion upstream of cracking to provide swirling fluid flow pattern producing cracking product (ethylene, acetylene, ethane, methane, 10-60 wt. % water, CO2, CO, hydrogen, oxygenates) having first temperature; cooling cracking product with residence <2,000 milliseconds yielding first cooled product having second temperature lowered by ≥30° C.; cooling first cooled product yielding second cooled product having third temperature lowered by ≥300° C. and heated heat exchange medium; separating second cooled product into removed water (water, oxygenates), and cracked gas (ethylene, acetylene, ethane, methane, CO2, CO, hydrogen) introduced to continuous regeneration CO2 removal unit producing CO2-lean gas having at least 10× less CO2; introducing CO2-lean gas to once-through CO2 removal unit producing CO2-depleted gas (ethylene, acetylene, ethane, methane, CO, hydrogen); separating CO2-depleted gas into ethylene, ethane, tail gas (methane, CO, hydrogen).

A process for producing ethylene comprising:

(a) introducing a fuel gas, hydrocarbons, an oxidant gas, and steam to an annular jet vortex chamber (ANJEVOC) to provide for a swirling fluid flow pattern within the ANJEVOC;
wherein the ANJEVOC comprises a combustion zone and a cracking zone;
wherein the combustion zone is upstream of the cracking zone;
wherein the oxidant gas does not contact the fuel gas outside of the ANJEVOC;
wherein the oxidant gas does not contact the hydrocarbons outside of the ANJEVOC;
wherein the hydrocarbons comprise ethane and/or saturated hydrocarbons other than ethane;
wherein at least a portion of the fuel gas and at least a portion of the oxidant gas contact each other in the combustion zone to produce a combustion product;
wherein the combustion product comprises water and carbon dioxide;
wherein the swirling fluid flow pattern provides for conveying at least a portion of the combustion product to the cracking zone;
wherein the combustion product heats the hydrocarbons in the cracking zone to a temperature effective for a cracking reaction;
and wherein at least a portion of the hydrocarbons undergoes a cracking reaction in the cracking zone to produce a cracking product;
wherein the cracking product comprises ethylene, acetylene, ethane, methane, water, carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen, and oxygenates;
wherein water is present in the cracking product in an amount of from about 10 wt. % to about 60 wt. %, based on the total weight of the cracking product;
and wherein the cracking product is characterized by a first cracking product temperature;
(b) cooling at least a portion of the cracking product in a first cracking product cooling zone to yield a first cooled cracking product;
wherein the first cooled cracking product is characterized by a second cracking product temperature;
wherein the second cracking product temperature is lower than the first cracking product temperature;
wherein the difference between the first cracking product temperature and the second cracking product temperature is equal to or greater than about 30° C.;
and wherein the first cracking product cooling zone is characterized by a residence time of less than about 2,000 milliseconds;
(c) cooling at least a portion of the first cooled cracking product in a cracking product heat exchanger to yield a second cooled cracking product;
wherein the second cooled cracking product is characterized by a third cracking product temperature;
wherein the third cracking product temperature is lower than the second cracking product temperature;
wherein the difference between the second cracking product temperature and the third cracking product temperature is equal to or greater than about 300° C.;
and
wherein cooling at least a portion of the first cooled cracking product comprises cooling at least a portion of the first cooled cracking product while heating a heat exchange medium in the cracking product heat exchanger to yield the second cooled cracking product and a heated heat exchange medium, respectively;
(d) separating at least a portion of the second cooled cracking product into a cracked gas and removed water;
wherein the removed water comprises at least a portion of the water of the cracking product;
wherein the removed water comprises at least a portion of the oxygenates of the cracking product;
and
wherein the cracked gas comprises ethylene, acetylene, ethane, methane, CO2, CO, and hydrogen;
(e) introducing at least a portion of the cracked gas to a continuous regeneration CO2 removal unit to produce a CO2-lean cracked gas;
wherein the cracked gas is characterized by a first amount of CO2;
wherein the CO2-lean cracked gas is characterized by a second amount of CO2;
and wherein a weight ratio of the first amount of CO2 to the second amount of CO2 is equal to or greater than about 5;
(f) introducing at least a portion of the CO2-lean cracked gas to a once-through CO2 removal unit to produce a CO2-depleted cracked gas;
wherein the CO2-depleted cracked gas comprises ethylene, acetylene, ethane, methane, CO, and hydrogen;
and
(g) separating at least a portion of the CO2-depleted cracked gas into ethylene, ethane, and a tail gas;
wherein the tail gas comprises methane, CO, and hydrogen.

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Separation processes for pyrolysis products of annular jet vortex chamber reactor

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Separation processes for pyrolysis products of annular jet vortex chamber reactor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16