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US 8,410,329 B2Granted
Ethylene separation
AssigneeChevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
InventorsJohn D. Hottovy, Ted Cymbaluk
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A polyethylene production process, comprising contacting ethylene and a polymerization catalyst under suitable reaction conditions to yield a polymerization product stream, separating a light gas stream from the polymerization product stream, wherein the light gas stream comprises ethane and unreacted ethylene, contacting the light gas stream with an absorption solvent system, wherein at least a portion of the ethylene from the light gas stream is absorbed by the absorption solvent system, removing unabsorbed gases of the light gas stream from contact with the absorption solvent system to form a waste gas stream, and recovering ethylene from the absorption solvent system.
Claims30
A polyethylene production process, comprising:
- contacting ethylene and a polymerization catalyst under suitable reaction conditions to yield a polymerization product stream;
- separating a light gas stream from the polymerization product stream, wherein the light gas stream comprises ethane and unreacted ethylene;
- contacting the light gas stream with an absorption solvent system, wherein the absorption solvent system comprises copper chloride, aniline, and N-methylpyrrolidone, and wherein at least a portion of the unreacted ethylene from the light gas stream is absorbed by the absorption solvent system;
- removing unabsorbed gases of the light gas stream from contact with the absorption solvent system to form a waste gas stream;
- recovering unreacted ethylene from the absorption solvent system to yield recovered ethylene;
- and
- contacting the recovered ethylene and the polymerization catalyst,
- wherein the light gas stream further comprises isobutane and wherein at least a portion of the isobutane from the light as stream is absorbed by the absorption solvent system.
5 more elements
A polyethylene production process, comprising:
- contacting ethylene and a polymerization catalyst under suitable reaction conditions to yield a polymerization product stream;
- separating a light gas stream from the polymerization product stream, wherein the light gas stream comprises ethane and unreacted ethylene;
- contacting the light as stream with an absorption solvent system, wherein the absorption solvent system comprises copper chloride, aniline, and N-methylpyrolidone, and wherein at least a portion of the unreacted ethylene from the light gas stream is absorbed by the absorption solvent system;
- removing unabsorbed gases of the light gas stream from contact with the absorption solvent system to form a waste gas stream;
- recovering unreacted ethylene from the absorption solvent system to yield recovered ethylene;
- and
- contacting the recovered ethylene and the polymerization catalyst;
- and
- further comprising removing at least a portion of elemental oxygen or oxygen-containing compounds from the light gas stream before contacting the light gas stream with the absorption solvent system.
6 more elements
A polyethylene production process, comprising:
- contacting ethylene and a polymerization catalyst in a polymerization reactor under suitable reaction conditions to yield a polymerization product stream;
- separating a light gas stream from the polymerization product stream, wherein the light gas stream comprises ethane and unreacted ethylene;
- contacting the light gas stream with an absorption solvent system in an absorption vessel, wherein at least a portion of the unreacted ethylene from the light gas stream is absorbed by the absorption solvent system to yield a composition comprising a complex of the absorption solvent system and unreacted ethylene;
- and
- removing the unabsorbed gases of the light gas stream from contact with the absorption solvent system;
- and
- further comprising recovering unreacted ethylene from the absorption solvent system within the absorption vessel.
4 more elements
A polyethylene production process, comprising:
- contacting ethylene and a polymerization catalyst in a polymerization reactor under suitable reaction conditions to yield a polymerization product stream;
- separating a light gas stream from the polymerization product stream, wherein the light gas stream comprises ethane and unreacted ethylene;
- contacting the light gas stream with an absorption solvent system in an absorption vessel, wherein at least a portion of the unreacted ethylene from the light gas stream is absorbed by the absorption solvent system to yield a composition comprising a complex of the absorption solvent system and unreacted ethylene;
- and
- removing the unabsorbed gases of the light gas stream from contact with the absorption solvent system;
- and
- further comprising removing at least a portion of elemental oxygen or oxygen-containing compounds from the light gas stream before introducing the light gas stream into the absorption vessel.
4 more elements
A polyethylene production system, comprising:
- a feed stream comprising ethylene, wherein the feed stream is characterized by introduction into a polymerization reactor;
- a polymerization product stream, wherein the polymerization product stream is characterized by emission from the polymerization reactor and introduction into a separator;
- a light gas stream comprising unreacted ethylene, wherein the light gas stream is characterized by emission from the separator, the light gas stream having been separated from the polymerization product stream, wherein the light gas stream is characterized by introduction into an absorption reactor comprising an absorption solvent system;
- an absorbent-ethylene conjugant, wherein the absorbent-ethylene conjugant is characterized by formation within the absorption reactor by absorption of at least a portion of the unreacted ethylene by the absorption solvent system;
- and
- a waste gas stream comprising ethane, wherein the waste gas stream is characterized by emission from the absorption reactor, wherein the waste gas stream comprises components of the light gas stream that are not absorbed by the absorption solvent system;
- and
- further comprising a recovered unreacted ethylene stream, wherein the recovered unreacted ethylene stream is characterized by emission from the absorption reactor and reintroduction into the polymerization reactor.
5 more elements
A polyethylene production system, comprising:
- a polymerization reactor, wherein the polymerization reactor is configured to receive a feed stream comprising ethylene, and wherein the polymerization reactor is configured to emit a polymerization product stream;
- a separator, wherein the separator is configured to receive the polymerization product stream and to emit a light gas stream comprising unreacted ethylene, wherein the light gas stream has been separated from the polymerization product stream;
- and
- an absorption reactor comprising an absorption solvent system, wherein the absorption reactor is configured to receive the light gas stream, to form an absorbent-ethylene conjugant by absorption of at least a portion of the unreacted ethylene by the absorption solvent system, and to emit a waste gas stream comprising ethane, wherein the waste gas stream comprises components of the light gas stream that are not absorbed by the absorption solvent system, and wherein the absorption reactor is further configured to emit a recovered unreacted ethylene stream, and wherein the polymerization reactor is further configured to receive the recovered unreacted ethylene stream.
1 more element
A polyethylene production process, comprising:
- contacting ethylene and a polymerization catalyst under suitable reaction conditions to yield a polymerization product stream;
- separating a light gas stream from the polymerization product stream, wherein the light gas stream comprises ethane and unreacted ethylene;
- removing at least a portion of elemental oxygen or oxygen-containing compounds from the light gas stream before contacting the light gas stream with an absorption solvent system;
- contacting the light gas stream with the absorption solvent system, wherein at least a portion of the unreacted ethylene from the light gas stream is absorbed by the absorption solvent system;
- removing unabsorbed gases of the light gas stream from contact with the absorption solvent system to form a waste gas stream;
- recovering unreacted ethylene from the absorption solvent system to yield recovered ethylene;
- and
- contacting the recovered ethylene and the polymerization catalyst.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.