Double bond hydroisomerization process
OwnerRobert Gartside, Thomas Skourlis +2inventors
InventorsRobert Gartside, Thomas Skourlis, Robert Trubac, Hassan Kaleem
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Abstract
A process and apparatus are disclosed for hydroisomerizing a mixed C4 olefin stream in a catalytic distillation column in order to increase the concentration of 2-butene and minimize the concentration of 1-butene, while concurrently minimizing the production of butanes. In one embodiment, carbon monoxide is introduced into the double bond hydroisomerization reactor along with hydrogen. In another embodiment, hydrogen, and optionally also carbon monoxide, is introduced at multiple locations along the double bond hydroisomerization reactor. The invention is particularly useful in preparing C4 feed streams for metathesis reactions.
Claims26
A process for the double bond hydroisomerization of C4 olefins, comprising:
- obtaining a feed stream comprising 1-butene and 2-butene,
- introducing said feed stream and hydrogen to a reaction zone comprising a catalytic distillation column containing a hydroisomerization catalyst with double bond hydroisomerization activity in order to convert a portion of said 1-butene into 2-butene, forming a bottoms stream comprising 2-butene and a top stream comprising isobutane and isobutylene, and
- introducing carbon monoxide to said reaction zone in an amount of 0.001 to 0.03 moles of carbon monoxide per mole of hydrogen in order to increase the selectivity to 2-butene.
A process for the double bond hydroisomerization of C4 olefins, comprising:
- obtaining a feed stream comprising 1-butene and 2-butene, and
- introducing said feed stream and hydrogen to a reaction zone comprising a catalytic distillation column having a length and containing a catalyst with double bond hydroisomerization activity in order to convert a portion of said 1-butene into 2-butene, forming a bottoms stream comprising 2-butene and a top stream comprising isobutane and isobutylene, said hydrogen being introduced at multiple feed points along said length of said reaction zone in a quantity appropriate to maintain said catalyst in an active double bond hydroisomerization form while minimizing hydrogenation of butenes.
An apparatus for the double bond hydroisomerization of 1-butene to 2-butene, comprising:
- a C4 feed stream conduit,
- a catalytic distillation column having a feed inlet fluidly connected to said olefin feed stream conduit, an upper end and a lower end, said catalytic distillation column containing a hydroisomerization catalyst,
- a first hydrogen inlet disposed on one of said C4 feed stream conduit and said feed inlet, and
- a second hydrogen inlet disposed along said length of said catalytic distillation column above said feed inlet, said first and second hydrogen inlets being positioned to maintain a hydrogen content in said catalytic distillation column appropriate to maintain said hydroisomerization catalyst in an active double bond hydroisomerization form while minimizing hydrogenation of butenes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.