Fractionator control in an alkylation process
AssigneePhillips Petroleum Company
InventorThomas Hutson, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Normal butane withdrawn from the main fractionator in an acid alkylation process is recycled to the main fractionator as required to insure that the actual alkylate to normal butane ratio in the alkylate product withdrawn from the main fractionator does not go below a desired ratio. Maintenance of the actual ratio at or above the desired ratio substantially minimizes the concentration of isobutane in the alkylate product stream.
Claims6
Apparatus comprising:
- a fractional distillation column;
- means for supplying a feed stream containing alkylate, isobutane and normal butane to said fractional distillation column;
- means for removing a bottoms stream containing a substantial portion of the alkylate contained in said feed stream from said fractional distillation column;
- means for removing a side draw stream containing normal butane from said fractional distillation column;
- and
- means for combining normal butane contained in said side draw stream with said feed stream flowing to said fractional distillation column to thereby recycle normal butane to said fractional distillation column as required to substantially minimize the presence of isobutane in said bottoms stream.
A method for substantially minimizing the presence of isoparaffins in a bottoms stream withdrawn from a fractional distillation column, wherein a feed stream containing alkylate, isobutane and normal butane is supplied to said fractional distillation column, wherein a substantial portion of the alkylate contained in said feed stream is withdrawn from said fractional distillation column as said bottoms stream and wherein a side draw stream containing normal butane is withdrawn from said fractional distillation column, said method comprising the step of combining normal butane contained in said side draw stream with said feed stream flowing to said fractional distillation column to thereby recycle normal butane to said fractional distillation column as required to substantially minimize the presence of isobutane in said bottoms stream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.