Processes for reduced oxygenated recycle in an mto conversion
AssigneeUop LLC
InventorJohn J. Senetar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Processes and an apparatus for reducing heavy oxygenate recycle for an MTO reaction zone. After separating product and water from the MTO reaction effluent, an oxygenate rich stream is passed to a conversion zone in which methanol in the oxygenate rich stream is converted into DME. A DME rich stream is separated from heavy oxygenates and is recycled back to the MTO reaction zone. The conversion zone may include a reactive distillation column, or the conversion zone may include a reactor vessel and a separate separation vessel.
Claims20
A process for reducing heavy oxygenate recycle for an MTO reaction zone, the process comprising:
- separating an effluent comprising light olefins, oxygenates, and water from an MTO reaction zone into a hydrocarbon product stream comprising light olefins and an aqueous stream comprising oxygenates and water;
- separating the aqueous stream into a water stream with reduced amount of oxygenates and an oxygenate-rich stream;
- increasing an amount of DME in the oxygenate-rich stream and separating the oxygenate-rich stream into a DME-rich stream and a heavy oxygenate-rich stream;
- and,
- recycling at least a portion of the DME-rich stream to the MTO reaction zone.
A process for reducing heavy oxygenate recycle for an MTO reaction zone, the process comprising:
- passing a feed stream comprising methanol into an MTO reaction zone comprising a reactor operated under conditions to provide an effluent stream, the effluent stream comprising light olefins, oxygenates, and water, wherein the oxygenates comprise unreacted methanol;
- passing the effluent stream to a product separation zone configured to separate the effluent stream into a product stream comprising light olefins and an aqueous stream comprising oxygenates and water;
- passing the aqueous stream to an oxygenate stripping zone configured to provide an oxygenate-rich stream and a water stream with reduced amount of oxygenates;
- passing the oxygenate-rich stream to a conversion zone configured to convert the methanol into DME, the conversion zone comprising a vessel and being configured to provide a DME-rich stream and a heavy oxygenate-rich stream;
- and,
- passing the DME-rich stream to the MTO reaction zone.
An apparatus for converting methanol to olefins, the apparatus comprising:
- an MTO reaction zone comprising a reactor operated under conditions to provide an effluent stream, the effluent stream comprising light olefins, oxygenates, and water;
- a product separation zone configured to separate the effluent stream into a product stream comprising light olefins and an aqueous stream comprising oxygenates and water;
- an oxygenate stripping zone configured to provide an oxygenate-rich stream and a water stream with reduced amount of oxygenates;
- and,
- a conversion zone configured to covert methanol into DME, the conversion zone comprising a vessel and being configured to provide a DME-rich stream and a heavy oxygenate-rich stream, wherein the DME-rich stream is recycled to the reaction zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.