Process for producing cumene
AssigneeBadger Licensing LLC
InventorsShyh-Yuan H. Hwang, Dana E. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process is described for producing cumene comprising contacting benzene and a C3 alkylating agent under alkylation conditions with an alkylation catalyst in an alkylation zone to produce an alkylation effluent comprising cumene and alkylaromatic compounds heavier than cumene. Cumene is recovered from the alkylation effluent to leave a byproduct stream containing the alkylaromatic compounds heavier than cumene, which is separated into a polyisopropylbenzene-containing stream, an aromatic overhead stream, and a bottoms product. At least part of the aromatic overhead stream is recycled to the alkylation zone to reduce raw material consumption and improve cumene yield.
Claims13
A process for producing cumene, the process comprising:
- (a) contacting benzene and a C3 alkylating agent under alkylation conditions with an alkylation catalyst in an alkylation zone to produce an alkylation effluent comprising cumene and alkylaromatic compounds heavier than cumene, wherein said alkylation catalyst comprises at least one zeolite catalyst selected from the group consisting of ZSM-3, ZSM-4, ZSM-5, ZSM-11, ZSM-12, ZSM-14, ZSM-18, ZSM-20, ZSM-22, ZSM-23, ZSM-35, ZSM-48, zeolite beta, zeolite Y, Ultrastable Y (USY), Dealuminized Y (Deal Y), mordenite, MCM-22, PSH-3, SSZ-25, ERB-1, ITQ-1, ITQ-2, MCM-36, MCM-49, MCM-56, and UZM-8;
- (b) recovering cumene from said alkylation effluent to leave a byproduct stream containing said alkylaromatic compounds heavier than cumene;
- (c) separating the byproduct stream into a polyisopropylbenzene-containing stream, an aromatic overhead stream, and a bottoms stream;
- and
- (d) recycling at least part of the aromatic overhead stream to the alkylation zone, wherein aromatic overhead stream comprises butylbenzene and/or cymene in a total concentration of up to 50 weight % to form cumene precursors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.