High energy reduction in a propane dehydrogenation unit by utilizing a high pressure product splitter column
AssigneeLummus Technology Inc.
InventorSunil Panditrao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved process for the production of olefins, and in particular for separation of olefins produced by a dehydrogenation process from paraffin feed stocks, is provided. A high pressure product splitter is used to separate olefins produced in a dehydrogenation plant from residual paraffin feed stocks. The use of a high pressure splitter to separate olefin products from paraffin feed stocks allows for recovery of a high purity olefin product with lower energy consumption compared to prior art processes. The process is particularly suited to separation of propylene from propane.
Claims15
A process for separation of an olefin from a paraffin in a product stream from a dehydrogenation system having a steam turbine driven dehydrogenation reactor product compressor, comprising the steps of:
- (a) feeding a stream comprised of a mixture of an olefin and a paraffin to a product splitter column having a product splitter column reboiler to produce an overhead stream and a bottoms stream;
- (b) splitting the bottoms stream into a recycle stream and a return stream and feeding the return stream to the product splitter column reboiler;
- and
- (c) feeding the exhaust steam from the steam turbine driven dehydrogenation reactor product compressor to the product splitter column reboiler to provide heat to the product splitter column.
A process for separation of an olefin from a paraffin in a product stream from a dehydrogenation system having a steam turbine driven dehydrogenation reactor product compressor, comprising the steps of:
- (a) feeding a stream comprised of a mixture of an olefin and a paraffin to a product splitter column having a product splitter column reboiler to produce an overhead stream and a bottoms stream;
- (b) splitting the overhead stream into a reflux stream and a product stream;
- (c) feeding the reflux stream to the product splitter column;
- (d) splitting the bottoms stream into a recycle stream and a return stream;
- (e) splitting the bottoms return stream into a first bottoms return stream and a second bottoms return stream and feeding the first bottoms return stream to the product splitter column reboiler;
- (f) feeding the second bottoms return stream to a heat exchanger;
- (g) heating the second bottoms return stream by heat exchange contact with a refrigerant circulated through a refrigerant loop having a steam turbine driven refrigerant compressor;
- (h) feeding the heated second bottoms return stream to the product splitter column;
- (i) feeding the exhaust steam from the steam turbine driven refrigeration compressor and the exhaust steam from the steam turbine driven dehydrogenation reactor product compressor to the product splitter column reboiler to provide heat to the first bottoms return stream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.