Methods of preparing branched alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons

A method for the production of alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons, comprising:

• introducing a first hydrocarbon stream comprising olefins and paraffins into a dimerization unit, wherein the dimerization unit is configured to dimerize at least a portion of the olefins in the first hydrocarbon stream to produce dimerized olefins, and wherein at least a portion of the unreacted components of the first hydrocarbon stream and at least a portion of the produced dimerized olefins form a second hydrocarbon stream, and wherein at least a portion of the dimerized olefins are branched olefins;
• and wherein the dimerization unit comprises a dimerization catalyst configured to dimerize at least a portion of the olefins, the catalyst comprising nickel oxide;
• and
• introducing at least a portion of the second hydrocarbon stream and aromatic hydrocarbons into an alkylation unit, wherein the alkylation unit is configured to alkylate at least a portion of the aromatic hydrocarbons with at least a portion of the olefins from the second hydrocarbon stream to produce alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons, wherein a least a portion of the produced alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons comprise a branched alkyl group.

A method for the production of alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons, comprising:

• introducing a first hydrocarbon stream comprising olefins and paraffins into a dimerization unit, wherein the dimerization unit is configured to dimerize at least a portion of the olefins in the first hydrocarbon stream to produce dimerized olefins, and wherein at least a portion of the unreacted components of the first hydrocarbon stream and the produced dimerized olefins form a second hydrocarbon stream, and wherein at least a portion of the dimerized olefins are branched olefins;
• introducing at least a portion of the second hydrocarbon stream and aromatic hydrocarbons into an alkylation unit;
• introducing a third hydrocarbon stream into an isomerization unit, wherein the isomerization unit is configured to isomerize at least a portion of linear olefins in the third hydrocarbon stream to branched olefins, and wherein at least a portion of the unreacted components of the third hydrocarbon stream and the produced branched olefins form a fourth hydrocarbon stream,
• introducing at least a portion of the fourth hydrocarbon stream into the alkylation unit, wherein the alkylation unit is configured to alkylate at least a portion of the aromatic hydrocarbons with at least a portion of the olefins from the second hydrocarbon stream and the fourth hydrocarbon stream to produce alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons, wherein a least a portion of the produced alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons comprise a branched alkyl group.

A method for the production of alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons, comprising:

• introducing a first hydrocarbon stream comprising olefins and paraffins into a hydrogenation unit, wherein the hydrogenation unit is configured to hydrogenate at least a portion of olefins in the first hydrocarbon stream to paraffins, and wherein at least a portion of the unreacted components of the first hydrocarbon stream and at least a portion of the hydrogenated olefins form a second hydrocarbon stream,
• introducing the second hydrocarbon stream into a dehydrogenation unit, wherein the dehydrogenation unit is configured to dehydrogenate at least a portion of paraffins in the second hydrocarbon stream to olefins, and wherein at least a portion of the unreacted components of the second hydrocarbon stream and at least a portion of the olefins from the dehydrogenation process form a third hydrocarbon stream,
• introducing the third hydrocarbon stream into an isomerization unit, wherein the isomerization unit is configured to isomerize at least a portion of olefins in the third hydrocarbon stream to branched olefins, and wherein at least a portion of the unreacted components of the third hydrocarbon stream and at least a portion of the produced branched olefins form a fourth hydrocarbon stream;
• introducing at least a portion of the fourth hydrocarbon stream and aromatic hydrocarbons into an alkylation unit, wherein the alkylation unit is configured to alkylate at least a portion of the aromatic hydrocarbons with at least a portion of the olefins in the fourth hydrocarbon stream to produce alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons, wherein at least a portion of the produced alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons comprise a branched alkyl group.

A method for the production of alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons, comprising:

• introducing a first hydrocarbon stream comprising olefins and paraffins into a hydrogenation unit, wherein the hydrogenation unit is configured to hydrogenate at least a portion of olefins in the first hydrocarbon stream to paraffins, and wherein at least a portion of the unreacted components of the first hydrocarbon stream and at least a portion of the hydrogenated olefins form a second hydrocarbon stream;
• introducing the second hydrocarbon stream into a dehydrogenation unit, wherein the dehydrogenation unit is configured to dehydrogenate at least a portion of paraffins in the second hydrocarbon stream to olefins, and wherein at least a portion of the unreacted components of the second hydrocarbon stream and at least a portion of the olefins from the dehydrogenation process form a third hydrocarbon stream,
• introducing the third hydrocarbon stream into a dimerization unit, wherein the dimerization unit is configured to dimerize at least a portion of the olefins in the third hydrocarbon stream to produce dimerized olefins, and wherein at least a portion of the unreacted components of the third hydrocarbon stream and the produced dimerized olefins form a fourth hydrocarbon stream, and wherein at least a portion of the dimerized olefins are branched olefins;
• introducing at least a portion of the fourth hydrocarbon stream and aromatic hydrocarbons into an alkylation unit;
• wherein the alkylation unit is configured to alkylate at least a portion of the aromatic hydrocarbons with at least a portion of the olefins in the fourth hydrocarbon stream to produce alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons, wherein at least a portion of the produced alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons comprise a branched alkyl group.

A method for the production of alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons, comprising:

• introducing a first hydrocarbon stream comprising olefins and paraffins into a hydrogenation unit, wherein the hydrogenation unit is configured to hydrogenate at least a portion of olefins in the first hydrocarbon stream to paraffins, and wherein at least a portion of the unreacted components of the first hydrocarbon stream and at least a portion of the hydrogenated olefins form a second hydrocarbon stream,
• introducing the second hydrocarbon stream into a dehydrogenation-isomerization unit, wherein the dehydrogenation-isomerization unit is configured to dehydrogenate at least a portion of the paraffins in the first hydrocarbon stream to olefins, and wherein the dehydrogenation-isomerization unit is further configured to isomerize at least a portion of linear olefins to branched olefins, and wherein at least a portion of the unreacted components of the second hydrocarbon stream and at least a portion of the products of the dehydrogenation and isomerization reactions form a third hydrocarbon stream, the third hydrocarbon stream comprising olefins and paraffins, and wherein at least a portion of the olefins in the third hydrocarbon stream are branched olefins;
• introducing at least a portion of the third hydrocarbon stream and aromatic hydrocarbons into an alkylation unit, wherein the alkylation unit is configured to alkylate at least a portion of the aromatic hydrocarbons with at least a portion of the olefins in the third hydrocarbon stream to produce alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons, wherein at least a portion of the produced alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons comprise a branched alkyl group.