Hydroisomerization process
AssigneeChemical Research & Licensing Company
InventorRobert P. Arganbright
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for the isomerization of butenes in a mixed hydrocarbon stream containing butene-1, butene-2 and small amounts of butadiene in which the mixed hydrocarbon stream is fed to distillation column reactor containing an alumina supported palladium oxide catalyst as a distillation structure. As butene-1 is produced it is distilled off upsetting the equilibrium and allowing for a greater than equilibrium amount of butene-1 to be produced. Additionally, any butadiene in the feed is hydrogenated to butenes. The bottoms, which is rich in butene-2 may be recycled to the reactor column for more complete conversion of butene-2 to butene-1. Alternatively, a portion or essentially all of the bottoms, substantially free of butadiene, may be used for feed to an HF alkylation unit.
Claims15
A process for the isomerization of C.sub.4 alkenes comprising:
- (a) feeding a mixed C.sub.4 stream at least partially in liquid phase and containing butene-1 and butene-2 to a distillation column reactor containing a fixed bed of alumina supported PdO catalyst prepared as a distillation structure,
- (b) concurrently feeding an effectuating amount of hydrogen to said fixed bed,
- (c) contacting said C.sub.4 stream and said hydrogen with said fixed bed to isomerize said butene-2 to butene-1
- (d) withdrawing an overhead stream rich in said butene-1
- (e) withdrawing a bottom stream rich in said butene-2 and
- (f) returning a portion of said bottoms to said column to further convert butene-2 to butene-1.
A process for the hydroisomerization of butene comprising
- (a) feeding a mixed hydrocarbon stream containing relatively high concentration of C.sub.4 's especially n-butenes, and small amounts of butadiene and essentially no isobutylene to a distillation column reactor containing a fixed bed of alumina supported palladium oxide catalyst prepared as a distillation structure;
- (b) concurrently feeding an effectuating amount of hydrogen to said fixed bed;
- (c) concurrently in said distillation column
- (i) contacting said mixed hydrocarbon stream and said hydrogen stream to hydrogenate said butadiene to butenes and
- (ii) reacting a portion of said butenes to form butene-1,
- (d) withdrawing an overhead stream rich in said butene-1;
- (e) withdrawing a bottom stream rich in butene-2, said bottom stream being essentially free of butadiene;
- and
- (f) returning a portion of said bottoms stream to said column to further isomerize butene-2 to butene-1.
In a process for isomerization of normal butene over an alumina supported palladium oxide catalyst in the presence of hydrogen, the improvement comprising placing said catalyst in a distillation column as a distillation structure such that butene-1 is removed overhead to continuously upset the equilibrium and thus produce greater than equilibrium amounts of butene-1.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.