PROCESS TO REMOVE DISSOLVED AlCl3 FROM IONIC LIQUID
AssigneeChevron U.S.A. Inc.
InventorsMoinuddin Ahmed, Huping Luo, Krishniah Parimi, Bong-Kyu Chang, Sara Lindsay
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein are processes in which precipitation permits removal of metal halides (e.g. AlCl3) from ionic liquids. After precipitation, the precipitated metal halides can be physically separated from the bulk ionic liquid. More effective precipitation can be achieved through cooling or the combination of cooling and the provision of metal halide seed crystals. The ionic liquids can be regenerated ionic liquid catalysts, which contain excess metal halides after regeneration. Upon removal of the excess metal halides, they can be reused in processes using ionic liquid catalysts, such as alkylation processes.
Claims13
A process for regenerating an ionic liquid catalyst, comprising:
- a) reacting an ionic liquid catalyst with aluminum to provide a regenerated ionic liquid catalyst containing excess dissolved AlCl3;
- b) precipitating the excess dissolved AlCl3 from the regenerated ionic liquid catalyst to provide precipitated excess AlCl3, and
- c) removing the precipitated excess AlCl3 from the regenerated ionic liquid catalyst.
An alkylation process, comprising:
- a) conducting an alkylation reaction with an ionic liquid catalyst to provide a product and a spent ionic liquid catalyst;
- b) reacting the spent ionic liquid catalyst with aluminum to provide a regenerated ionic liquid catalyst and excess dissolved AlCl3;
- c) precipitating the excess dissolved_AlCl3 from the regenerated ionic liquid catalyst to provide precipitated excess AlCl3;
- d) removing the precipitated excess AlCl3 from the regenerated ionic liquid catalyst;
- and
- e) recycling the regenerated ionic liquid catalyst to reaction step a).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.