# US 2010/0168347 A1 · Processes Using Dividing Wall Distillation Column > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0168347 A1 - Document ID: US20100168347A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/347,922 - Filed: 2008-12-31 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-31 - Assignees: Fina Technology, Inc. - Inventors: James R. Butler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100168347A1 ## CPC - C07C 7/04: by distillation - B01D 3/141: {where at least one distillation column contains at least one dividing wall} - C08F 112/08: Styrene - Y02P 20/582: Recycling of unreacted starting or intermediate materials - Y10S 585/921: using recited apparatus structure - C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A method for the separation of hydrocarbon compounds utilizing a dividing wall distillation column is described. The dividing wall distillation column enables one or more side draw stream to be removed from the dividing wall distillation column in addition to an overhead stream and a bottoms stream. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-6. (canceled) ### Claim 7 A method for the separation of hydrocarbon compounds comprising: obtaining a first stream comprising hydrocarbon compounds, wherein the first stream is produced from a first reaction zone: sending at least a portion of the first stream to a dividing wall distillation column comprising a dividing wall; removing an overhead stream and a bottoms stream from the dividing wall distillation column, wherein at least a portion of the bottoms stream is recycled as feed to the first reaction zone; and removing a side draw stream from the dividing wall distillation column; wherein the first stream enters the dividing wall distillation column on an opposing side as the side draw stream, separated by the dividing wall. ### Claim 8 A method for the separation of hydrocarbon compounds comprising: obtaining a first stream comprising hydrocarbon compounds, wherein the first stream is a reactor effluent stream from a polystyrene reaction zone; sending at least a portion of the first stream to a dividing wall distillation column comprising a dividing wall; removing an overhead stream and a bottoms stream from the dividing wall distillation column; and removing a side draw stream from the dividing wall distillation column; wherein the first stream enters the dividing wall distillation column on an opposing side as the side draw stream, separated by the dividing wall. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the side draw stream comprises styrene. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the side draw stream is recycled to the polystyrene reaction zone. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the first stream is recycled to the polystyrene reaction zone. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the overhead stream comprises ethylbenzene. ### Claim 13 A method for the separation of hydrocarbon compounds comprising: obtaining a first stream comprising hydrocarbon compounds, wherein the first stream is produced from a first reaction zone that produces the first stream comprising styrene; sending at least a portion of the first stream to a dividing wall distillation column comprising a dividing wall; removing an overhead stream and a bottoms stream from the dividing wall distillation column; and removing a side draw stream from the dividing wall distillation column; wherein the first stream enters the dividing wall distillation column on an opposing side as the side draw stream, separated by the dividing wall. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the first reaction zone is an ethylbenzene dehydrogenation reaction zone, ### Claim at position 10 15-17. (canceled) ### Claim 18 A method for the separation of hydrocarbon compounds comprising: obtaining a first stream comprising ethylbenzene produced from a benzene alkylation reaction zone; sending at least a portion of the first stream to a dividing wall distillation column comprising a dividing wall; removing an overhead stream and a bottoms stream from the dividing wall distillation column, wherein the bottoms stream comprises polyethylbenzene; and removing a side draw stream from the dividing wall distillation column; wherein the first stream enters the dividing wall distillation column on an opposing side as the side draw stream, separated by the dividing wall. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the bottoms stream is fed to a transalkylation reaction zone and produces a second stream that has a lower polyethylbenzene content than the bottoms stream. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein at least a portion of the second product stream is fed to the dividing wall distillation column. ### Claim at position 14 21-25. (canceled) ### Claim 26 A method for the separation of hydrocarbon compounds comprising: obtaining a first stream comprising at least two of benzene, toluene, xylene or ethylbenzene; sending at least a portion of the first stream to a dividing wall distillation column comprising a dividing wall; removing an overhead stream and a bottoms stream from the dividing wall distillation column; and removing a side draw stream from the dividing wall distillation column, wherein the side draw stream comprises toluene; wherein the first stream enters the dividing wall distillation column on an opposing side as the side draw stream, separated by the dividing wall. ### Claim 27 A method for the separation of hydrocarbon compounds comprising: obtaining a first stream comprising at least two of benzene, toluene, xylene or ethylbenzene; sending at least a portion of the first stream to a dividing wall distillation column comprising a dividing wall; removing an overhead stream and a bottoms stream from the dividing wall distillation column, wherein the bottoms stream comprises xylene; and removing a side draw stream from the dividing wall distillation column; wherein the first stream enters the dividing wall distillation column on an opposing side as the side draw stream, separated by the dividing wall. ### Claim at position 17 28-29. (canceled) ### Claim 30 A method of polystyrene production comprising: feeding a stream comprising styrene to a polystyrene reaction zone, wherein a stream comprising polystyrene is removed and a reactor effluent stream is removed; sending at least a portion of the reactor effluent stream to a dividing wall distillation column; removing an overhead stream and a bottoms stream from the dividing wall distillation column; and removing a side draw stream comprising styrene from the dividing wall distillation column. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the feed stream comprising styrene is mixed with a solvent prior to entering the polystyrene reaction zone. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, wherein the solvent comprises paraffin boiling in the range of from 135° C. to 150° C. ### Claim 33 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the reactor effluent is fed to the dividing wall distillation column at a location above where the side draw stream is taken. ### Claim 34 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the side draw stream is recycled to the polystyrene reaction zone. ### Claim 35 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein at least a portion of the reactor effluent stream is recycled to the polystyrene reaction zone. ### Claim 36 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the reactor effluent stream comprises styrene and ethylbenzene. ### Claim 37 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the overhead stream comprises ethylbenzene. ### Claim 38 A method of styrene production comprising: obtaining a first product stream from a styrene reaction zone; sending at least a portion of the first product stream to a dividing wall distillation column; removing an overhead stream and a bottoms stream from the dividing wall distillation column; and removing a side draw stream from the dividing wall distillation column. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein the first product stream is fed to the dividing wall distillation column at a location above where the side draw stream is taken. ### Claim 40 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein the side draw stream comprises styrene. ### Claim 41 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein the overhead stream comprises ethylbenzene. ### Claim 42 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein at least a portion of the overhead stream is recycled to the styrene reaction zone. ### Claim at position 31 43-47. (canceled) ### Claim 48 A method of ethylbenzene production comprising: obtaining a first product stream from an alkylation reaction zone; sending at least a portion of the first product stream to a dividing wall distillation column; removing an overhead stream and a bottoms stream from the dividing wall distillation column, wherein the bottoms stream comprises polyethylbenzene; and removing a side draw stream from the dividing wall distillation column. ### Claim 49 (depends on 48) The method of claim 48, wherein at least a portion of the bottoms stream is fed to a transalkylation reaction zone to produce a second product stream that has reduced polyethylbenzene content than the bottoms stream. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) The method of claim 49, wherein at least a portion of the second product stream is fed to the dividing wall distillation column.