# US 9,517,983 B2 · Regeneration loop clean-up

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- Number: US 9,517,983 B2
- Document ID: US9517983B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/332,485
- Filed: 2014-07-16
- Published: 2016-01-21
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2014-07-16
- Assignees: BASF SE
- Applicants: BASF Corporation
- Inventors: William Dolan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517983B2

## CPC

- C07C 7/13: by molecular-sieve technique
- B01D 53/0423: {Beds in columns}
- B01D 53/0462: {Temperature swing adsorption}
- B01D 53/047: Pressure swing adsorption
- B01D 2253/104: Alumina
- B01D 2253/108: Zeolites
- B01D 2253/304: Linear dimensions, e.g. particle shape, diameter
- B01D 2256/24: Hydrocarbons
- B01D 2257/30: Sulfur compounds
- B01D 2257/306: Organic sulfur compounds, e.g. mercaptans
- B01D 2257/504: Carbon dioxide
- B01D 2257/70: Organic compounds not provided for in groups B01D2257/00 - B01D2257/602
- B01D 2257/80: Water
- B01D 2259/40086: by using a purge gas (B01D2259/4009 takes precedence)
- B01D 2259/4009: using hot gas
- Y02C 20/40: of CO2
- Y02P 20/141: Feedstock
- Y02P 20/151: Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2
- Y02P 20/50: Improvements relating to the production of bulk chemicals
- Y02P 30/40: Ethylene production
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- Y02C: CAPTURE, STORAGE, SEQUESTRATION OR DISPOSAL OF GREENHOUSE GASES [GHG]
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A process is disclosed for removing contaminants from an olefin stream, comprising passing the contaminated olefin stream through a first adsorbent in a thermal swing adsorption process to produce a relatively pure olefin product stream, and a regenerating gas stream containing the contaminants, passing the contaminated regenerating gas stream through a pressure swing adsorption process to yield a relatively pure regenerating gas stream, which can be redirected to the thermal swing adsorption process for regenerating the adsorbent therein.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for removing contaminants from an olefin feed comprising:
a) directing said olefin feed into contact with a first particulate adsorbent bed capable of removing said contaminants from said olefin feed, and producing an olefin product containing less contaminants than said feed;
b) heating said first adsorbent bed and directing a regenerating gas through the first adsorbent bed to desorb said contaminants from said adsorbent, and produce a regeneration gas effluent containing said contaminants; and
c) directing said regeneration gas effluent through a second particulate adsorbent bed, so as to adsorb and remove said contaminants from said regeneration gas effluent and produce a regenerating gas product having a reduced level of contaminants than said regeneration gas effluent;
wherein said contaminants comprise organic oxygenates, inorganic sulfur compounds, organic sulfur compounds, or a mixture thereof.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein said first particulate adsorbent bed comprises an alumina, a zeolite, a composite of alumina-zeolite, or alumina, zeolite, or composite of alumina-zeolite doped with an oxide of alkali or alkaline-earth metals.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The process of claim 2, wherein said first adsorbent bed comprises zeolite 3A, 4A, 5A, 13X or Na Y or combinations of said zeolites with alumina.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein said regenerating gas is nitrogen or fuel gas.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein said contaminants comprise organic oxygenates.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein said contaminants comprise inorganic sulfur compounds or organic sulfur compounds.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein said contaminants comprise up to 500 ppm of said olefin feed.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, comprising desorbing the contaminants from said second adsorbent bed by reducing the pressure in said second adsorbent bed and form a low pressure waste gas containing said contaminants.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The process of claim 8, wherein said second adsorbent bed comprises alumina.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein said regenerating gas effluent containing said contaminants is cooled prior to contact with said second particulate adsorbent.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The process of claim 10, wherein water is removed from said regenerating gas effluent during said cooling.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein said first adsorbent bed is heated by heating said regenerating gas and passing said regenerating gas in contact with said first adsorbent bed.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The process of claim 12, wherein said regenerating gas is heated to a temperature of from about 200-500° C.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein said regenerating gas effluent containing said contaminants is pressurized to a pressure of at least 50 psia prior to contact with said second adsorbent bed.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the ratio of adsorption pressure to desorption pressure in said second adsorption bed is at least 2.0.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, comprising directing at least a portion of said regenerating gas product to said first adsorbent bed containing adsorbed contaminants.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein said olefin feed stream contains at least about 50 wt. % ethylene, propylene, butylene, or a mixture thereof.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The process of claim 17, wherein said olefin feed stream comprises at least 90 wt. % of ethylene, propylene, butylene, or a mixture thereof.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The process of claim 16, wherein said regenerating gas is nitrogen or fuel gas.