Electrochemical removal of conjunct polymers from chloroaluminate ionic liquids
AssigneeChevron U.S.A. Inc.
InventorsHye-Kyung Timken, Saleh Elomari, Thomas V. Harris, James N. Ziemer
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Abstract
A process for regenerating a spent ionic liquid catalyst including (a) applying a voltage across one or more pairs of electrodes immersed in a spent ionic liquid catalyst comprising conjunct polymer-metal halide complexes to provide freed conjunct polymers and a regenerated ionic liquid catalyst; and (b) separating the freed conjunct polymers from the regenerated ionic liquid catalyst is described. An alkylation process incorporating the regeneration process is also described.
Claims24
A process for regenerating a spent ionic liquid catalyst, comprising:
- (a) applying a voltage across one or more pairs of electrodes immersed in a spent ionic liquid catalyst comprising conjunct polymer-metal halide complexes to provide freed conjunct polymers and a regenerated ionic liquid catalyst;
- and
- (b) separating the freed conjunct polymers from the regenerated ionic liquid catalyst;
- wherein at least a portion of one or more conjunct polymers of the conjunct polymer-metal halide complexes are electrochemically reduced in step (a) to provide the freed conjunct polymers, halide anions, and the regenerated ionic liquid catalyst.
A process for regenerating a spent ionic liquid catalyst, comprising:
- (a) applying a voltage across one or more pairs of electrodes immersed in a spent ionic liquid catalyst comprising conjunct polymer-metal halide complexes to provide freed conjunct polymers and a regenerated ionic liquid catalyst;
- and
- (b) separating the freed conjunct polymers from the regenerated ionic liquid catalyst;
- wherein a first electrode of each electrode pair is a sacrificial anode composed of aluminum metal and a second electrode of each electrode pair comprises an electrically conducting metal, polymer, or carbon compound.
An alkylation process, comprising:
- reacting isoparaffins with olefins in the presence of an ionic liquid catalyst comprising a metal halide to provide a spent ionic liquid catalyst comprising conjunct polymer-metal halide complexes and a hydrocarbon product;
- applying a voltage across one or more pairs of electrodes immersed in the spent ionic liquid catalyst to provide freed conjunct polymers and a regenerated ionic liquid catalyst;
- separating the freed conjunct polymers from the regenerated ionic liquid catalyst;
- and
- recycling the regenerated ionic liquid catalyst to the reacting isoparaffins with olefins;
- wherein at least a portion of one or more conjunct polymers of the conjunct polymer-metal halide complexes are electrochemically reduced while applying the voltage to provide the freed conjunct polymers, halide anions, and the regenerated ionic liquid catalyst.
A process for regenerating a spent ionic liquid catalyst, comprising:
- (a) applying a voltage across one or more pairs of electrodes immersed in a spent ionic liquid catalyst comprising conjunct polymer-metal halide complexes to provide freed conjunct polymers and a regenerated ionic liquid catalyst;
- wherein the spent ionic liquid catalyst has an immiscible top layer;
- and
- (b) separating the freed conjunct polymers from the regenerated ionic liquid catalyst);
- wherein at least a portion of the conjunct polymers of the conjunct polymer-metal halide complexes are electrochemically reduced in step (a) to provide freed conjunct polymers, halide anions, and regenerated ionic liquid catalyst.
An alkylation process, comprising:
- reacting isoparaffins with olefins in the presence of an ionic liquid catalyst comprising a metal halide to provide a spent ionic liquid catalyst comprising conjunct polymer-metal halide complexes and a hydrocarbon product;
- applying a voltage across one or more pairs of electrodes immersed in the spent ionic liquid catalyst to provide freed conjunct polymers and a regenerated ionic liquid catalyst;
- wherein the spent ionic liquid catalyst has an immiscible top layer;
- separating the freed conjunct polymers from the regenerated ionic liquid catalyst;
- and
- recycling the regenerated ionic liquid catalyst to the reacting isoparaffins with olefins;
- wherein at least a portion of one or more conjunct polymers of the conjunct polymer-metal halide complexes are electrochemically reduced while applying the voltage to provide the freed conjunct polymers, halide anions, and the regenerated ionic liquid catalyst.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.