Optimizing An Alkylation Olefins Source
AssigneeExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
InventorsIpokratis Polizopoulos, Ezra J. Czuba, Brian C. Mayo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Alkylate is produced by supplying iso-C4+ hydrocarbon feed to an alkylation reactor, and by further selectively supplying to the alkylation reactor an olefin selected from the group consisting of refinery grade propylene (RGP) and polymer grade propylene (PGP), and combinations thereof. The olefin feed is controlled such that the proportion of PGP supplied through the olefin feed inlet exceeds that of RGP for a predetermined time interval, using a special purpose computer programmed to optimize the allocation of PGP between alkylation production and a commodity market in order to increase total net profit margin.
Claims25
A method of producing alkylate in an alkylation unit reactor having an iso-C4+ hydrocarbon feed inlet, an olefin feed inlet and an alkylation catalyst inlet, comprising:
- supplying iso-C4+ hydrocarbon to the iso-C4+ hydrocarbon feed inlet of the alkylation unit reactor;
- supplying refinery grade propylene (RGP) by a first system adapted to be coupled to the olefin feed inlet of the alkylation unit reactor;
- supplying polymer grade propylene (PGP) by a second system adapted to be coupled to the olefin feed inlet of the alkylation unit reactor;
- controlling the coupling of the first and second systems to the olefin feed inlet to increase PGP flow through the olefin feed inlet for a predetermined time interval;
- supplying at least one alkylation catalyst to the alkylation catalyst inlet;
- and
- producing alkylate by catalytically reacting at least a portion of the iso-C4+ hydrocarbon with at least a portion of the olefin.
A method of optimizing PGP usage, comprising:
- configuring an alkylation unit to produce an effluent comprising alkylate, the alkylate being produced by reacting propylene with a second hydrocarbon, the second hydrocarbon comprising at least one iso-C4+ hydrocarbon;
- configuring one or more propylene sources to supply RGP and/or PGP to the alkylation unit;
- determining a first value, the first value being generated by producing a preselected alkylate amount from a preselected PGP amount in the alkylation unit;
- determining a second value, the second value being generated by selling of the preselected PGP amount on a commodity market;
- comparing the first and second values;
- and
- increasing the PGP supply to the alkylation unit when the first value is greater than the second value.
A method of increasing the capacity of an existing alkylation unit, comprising:
- removing an effluent from the existing alkylation unit, the effluent comprising (i) propane and (ii) alkylate produced by reacting propylene with isobutane in the existing alkylation unit;
- configuring existing refining and chemical operations to supply to the alkylation unit as a source of the propylene at least one of RGP and PGP;
- configuring separation facilities located within the existing refining and chemical operations for separating from the effluent at least (i) propane and (ii) alkylate;
- supplying the RGP to the alkylation unit in an amount that is less than or equal to a maximum amount of propane separable from the effluent by the existing propane separation facilities;
- and
- supplementing the amount of RGP supplied to the alkylation unit with an amount of PGP, wherein the maximum amount of propane is neither substantially increased nor substantially exceeded.
A controlled alkylation system comprising:
- an alkylation plant that transforms a feed comprising propylene and iso-C4+ hydrocarbon from output to input of the alkylation into alkylate;
- refining and chemical operations to supply RGP and PGP to an inlet of the alkylation plant;
- and
- at least one controller coupled to the alkylation plant inlet and configured to increase, decrease, or maintain substantially constant the amount of PGP supplied to the alkylation plant, the controller being at least partially automated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.