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US 2013/0211169 A1Published application
Hydrocarbon Conversion Process
AssigneeExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
InventorsFrank Hershkowitz, Paul F. Keusenkothen, Jeffrey W. Frederick, Richard J. Basile, John W. Fulton
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Abstract
The invention relates to a process for converting hydrocarbons into unsaturated products such as acetylene and/or ethylene. The invention also relates to converting acetylene to olefins such as ethylene and/or propylene, to polymerizing the olefins, and to equipment useful for these processes.
Claims25
A hydrocarbon conversion process, comprising:
- (A) heating at least a portion of a reactor to a temperature ≧800° C., the reactor comprising first and second channels;
- (B) providing a first mixture to the heated reactor, the first mixture comprising hydrocarbon, wherein at least a portion of the hydrocarbon includes alkane;
- (C) exposing the first mixture to a temperature ≧800° C. in the heated reactor and abstracting sufficient heat from the reactor to convert at least a portion of the first mixture's alkane to combustible non-volatiles and unsaturated hydrocarbon;
- (D) transferring at least a portion of the unsaturated hydrocarbon away from the reactor via the first and second channels, at least a portion of the combustible non-volatiles being deposited in the first and second channels during the transfer;
- and
- (E) repeating steps (A)-(D);
- wherein step (A) includes
- (i) a first time interval during which fuel and oxidant exothermically react in the reactor, the fuel being provided via the first channel and the oxidant being provided via the second channel, in order to
- (a) replace at least a portion of the heat abstracted during step (C) and
- (b) combust at least a portion of the combustible non-volatiles in the second channel;
- and
- (ii) a second time interval during which additional oxidant is provided to the reactor via the first channel in order to combust at least a portion of the combustible non-volatiles in the first channel.
9 more elements
A regenerative, reverse-flow pyrolysis reactor comprising,
- (a) first and second reactors, each comprising a unitary reactor bed;
- (b) a mixing region located between the first and second reactors;
- (c) first and second channels located within the first reactor, the first and second channels being thermally-connected, substantially independent flow-paths;
- (d) a third channel located within the second reactor;
- and
- (e) first valve means for directing to the mixing region
- (i) a first reactant via the first channel during a first time interval,
- (ii) a second reactant via a second channel during the first time interval, and
- (iii) a first portion of the second reactant via the first channel and a second portion of the second reactant via the second channel during a second time interval.
6 more elements
A process for removing combustible non-volatiles from a reactor system, comprising:
- (A) depositing combustible non-volatiles during a first conversion step, the combustible non-volatiles being deposited in first and second conduits of a first reactor, the first reactor being located within the reactor system;
- (B) during a first time interval of a second conversion step
- (a) conducting a first-reactant through the first conduit and a second-reactant through the second conduit;
- (b) heating the reactor system by exothermically reacting at least a portion of the second-reactant with (i) at least a portion of the combustible non-volatiles located in the second conduit and (ii) at least a portion of the first-reactant;
- and
- (C) during a second time interval of the second conversion step
- (a) conducting at least a portion of the second-reactant through the first conduit, and
- (b) reacting the second-reactant with at least a portion of the combustible non-volatiles located in the first conduit,
- (c) conducting the first-reactant through a third conduit,
- (d) conducting a second portion of the second reactant through the second conduit, and
- (e) heating the reactor system by exothermically reacting at least a portion of the second-reactant with (i) at least a portion of the combustible non-volatiles located in the first and/or second conduits and (ii) at least a portion of the first-reactant;
- wherein the first and second conduits comprise at least one channel in a reactor bed.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.