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US 2015/0175908 A1Published application
Ethane and ethanol to liquid transportation fuels
AssigneePhillips 66 Company
InventorsJianhua Yao, Dhananjay Ghonasgi, Tushar Choudhary, Warren Ewert
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Abstract
Processes relating to thermal activation (or cracking) of ethane to an intermediate, low purity raw ethylene stream in a first stage. This stream is then mixed with a stream of biomass-derived ethanol that may contain four volume percent or more of water. The resulting mixture is reacted over a suitable catalyst at temperatures and pressures suitable to produce gasoline-range and diesel-range blend stock.
Claims19
A process for converting ethane to liquid fuels comprising:
- a) directing an ethane stream into a thermal activation unit in a first stage to produce an intermediate hydrocarbon stream and a raw ethylene stream comprising less than 60 weight percent ethylene;
- b) combining the raw ethylene stream with a raw ethanol stream to form a mixture, wherein the raw ethanol stream is derived from biomass and comprises at least 4 volume percent water;
- c) contacting the mixture with a catalyst to produce a mixed product stream comprising an increased percentage of hydrocarbons containing four or more carbon atoms;
- and
- d) separating the mixed product stream to produce an intermediate hydrocarbon stream comprising hydrocarbons containing four or more carbon atoms and a light hydrocarbon stream comprising hydrocarbons containing from one to three carbon atoms.
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A process for converting ethane to liquid fuels comprising:
- a) directing an ethane stream into a thermal activation unit in a first stage to produce an intermediate hydrocarbon stream and a raw ethylene stream comprising less than 60 weight percent ethylene;
- b) combining the raw ethylene stream with a raw ethanol stream to form a mixture, wherein the raw ethanol stream is derived from biomass and comprises at least 4 volume percent water;
- c) contacting the mixture with a catalyst to produce a mixed product stream comprising an increased percentage of hydrocarbons containing four or more carbon atoms;
- d) separating the mixed product stream to produce an intermediate hydrocarbon stream comprising hydrocarbons containing four or more carbon atoms and a light hydrocarbon stream comprising hydrocarbons containing from one to three carbon atoms
- e) introducing at least part of the light hydrocarbon stream into a hydrogenation reactor to saturate unconverted olefins, thereby producing a mixture of light paraffin components and hydrogen gas;
- f) separating the hydrogen gas;
- and
- g) recycling the light paraffins stream as feed to the thermal activation unit.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.