US 6,673,239 B2 · Hydrocarbon purificatin system regeneration

Abstract

A system and process for removing water and heteroatom-containing compounds from hydrocarbons and for regenerating the adsorbent used in the system and process is disclosed and includes contacting the hydrocarbon stream with a water adsorbent and a heteroatom-containing compound adsorbent. The regeneration includes passing an isoparaffin over the water-adsorbent, then passing the isoparaffin over the heteroatom-containing compound adsorbent; and, optionally; cooling the effluent; separating such into a hydrocarbon phase and a water phase in a settler; removing a portion of the hydrocarbon phase for mixing with water; returning the hydrocarbon/water mixture to the settler; removing some of the hydrocarbon phase from the settler to form a recycle isoparaffin stream for use as a portion of the stripping stream; and removal of a portion of the water phase from the settler to form a waste water stream containing water and heteroatom-containing compound.

Claims62

Dependent claims

A method of treating a hydrocarbon stream containing at least one heteroatom-containing compound and water, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) introducing a hydrocarbon stream containing at least one heteroatom-containing compound and water to a contacting zone containing a water adsorbent comprising a molecular sieve having an average pore diameter in the range of from about 3 to about 4 Å, and a separate, heteroatom-containing compound adsorbent comprising an alumina and a zeolite;
(b) withdrawing an effluent stream from said contacting zone, said effluent stream containing less heteroatom-containing compound and less water than said hydrocarbon stream;
(c) blocking the introduction of said hydrocarbon stream to said contacting zone;
(d) introducing a stripping stream comprising an isoparaffin to said contacting zone such that said stripping stream contacts said water adsorbent prior to contacting said heteroatom-containing compound adsorbent;
and
(e) withdrawing a spent stripping stream comprising isoparaffin, heteroatom-containing compound and water from said contacting zone.

3 more elements

A method of regenerating a hydrocarbon purification system suitable for removing water and at least one heteroatom-containing compound from a hydrocarbon stream, said method for regenerating comprising:

(a) introducing a stripping stream comprising an isoparaffin into
the contacting zone of a treatment system containing (1) a water adsorbent comprising a molecular sieve having an average pore diameter in the range of from about 3 to about 4 Å, which contains water, and (2) a separate, heteroatom-containing compound adsorbent comprising an alumina and a zeolite which contains a heteroatom-containing compound;
such that said stripping stream contacts said water adsorbent prior to contacting said heteroatom-containing compound adsorbent;
and
(b) withdrawing a spent stripping stream comprising isoparaffin, heteroatom-containing compound and water from said contacting zone.

2 more elements

A method of treating a hydrocarbon stream containing at least one heteroatom-containing compound and water, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) introducing a hydrocarbon stream containing at least one heteroatom-containing compound and water to a contacting zone containing a water adsorbent consisting essentially of a molecular sieve having an average pore diameter in the range of from about 3 to about 4 Å, and a separate, heteroatom-containing compound adsorbent consisting essentially of an alumina and a zeolite;
(b) withdrawing an effluent stream from said contacting zone, said effluent stream containing less heteroatom-containing compound and less water than said hydrocarbon stream;
(c) blocking the introduction of said hydrocarbon stream to said contacting zone;
(d) introducing a stripping stream comprising an isoparaffin to said contacting zone such that said stripping stream contacts said water adsorbent prior to contacting said heteroatom-containing compound adsorbent;
and
(e) withdrawing a spent stripping stream comprising isoparaffin, heteroatom-containing compound and water from said contacting zone.

3 more elements

(a) introducing a stripping stream comprising an isoparaffin into the contacting zone of a treatment system containing (1) a water adsorbent consisting essentially of a molecular sieve having an average pore diameter in the range of from about 3 to about 4 Å, which contains water, and (2) a separate, heteroatom-containing compound adsorbent consisting essentially of an alumina and a zeolite which contains a heteroatom-containing compound;
such that said stripping stream contacts said water adsorbent prior to contacting said heteroatom-containing compound adsorbent;
and
(b) withdrawing a spent stripping stream comprising isoparaffin, heteroatom-containing compound and water from said contacting zone.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Hydrocarbon purificatin system regeneration

Life of this patent

Hydrocarbon purificatin system regeneration

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims62