Process for separating hydrocarbons using aryl-bridged polysilsesquioxanes
AssigneeUop LLC
InventorJames R. Lansbarkis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process to separate at least two classes of hydrocarbons of a solution using an aryl-bridged polysilsesquioxane adsorbent has been developed. The classes of hydrocarbons to be separated may be saturated hydrocarbons, unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons and aromatic hydrocarbons. The aryl-bridging group may be phenylene, diphenylene, terphenylene, or anthrylene. A specific embodiment of the invention is one where the components of a solution of aromatic, unsaturated aliphatic, and saturated hydrocarbons are separated into an aromatic hydrocarbon portion, an unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon portion, and a saturated hydrocarbon portion where the adsorbent is an aryl-bridged polysilsesquioxane.
Claims23
A process for separating, into hydrocarbon classes, the components of a solution containing at least two classes of hydrocarbons selected from the group consisting of saturated hydrocarbons, unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons, and aromatic hydrocarbons, comprising:
- a. contacting a solution containing at least two classes of hydrocarbons selected from the group consisting of saturated hydrocarbons, unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons, and aromatic hydrocarbons with an aryl-bridged polysilsesquioxane adsorbent where said aryl-bridging group is selected from the group consisting of phenylene, diphenylene, terphenylene, and anthrylene, said adsorbent effective to adsorb hydrocarbons with increasing strength in the order of saturated hydrocarbons<unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons<aromatic hydrocarbons;
- b. desorbing the adsorbed saturated hydrocarbons, where present, from said adsorbent using a desorbent, and collecting the desorbed saturated hydrocarbons;
- c. desorbing the adsorbed unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons, where present, from said adsorbent using said desorbent, and collecting the desorbed unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons;
- and
- d. desorbing the adsorbed aromatic hydrocarbons, where present, from said adsorbent using said desorbent, and collecting the desorbed aromatic hydrocarbons.
A process for separating, into hydrocarbon classes, the components of an unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon solution containing alkenes and alkadienes, comprising:
- a. contacting an unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon solution containing alkenes and alkadienes with an aryl-bridged polysilsesquioxane adsorbent where said aryl-bridging group is selected from the group consisting of phenylene, diphenylene, terphenylene, and anthrylene, said adsorbent effective to adsorb hydrocarbons with increasing strength in the order of alkenes<alkadienes;
- b. desorbing the adsorbed alkenes from said adsorbent using a desorbent, and collecting the desorbed alkenes;
- and
- c. desorbing the adsorbed alkadienes from said adsorbent using said desorbent and collecting the desorbed alkadienes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.