Processes for removing entrained ionic liquid from a hydrocarbon phase

A process for removing ionic liquid catalyst from an effluent stream including hydrocarbons and an ionic liquid catalyst, wherein the effluent stream is provided by an ionic liquid catalyst reaction zone, the process comprising:

• a first stage separation step comprising separating a mixture comprising hydrocarbons and ionic liquid catalyst into a hydrocarbon phase and an ionic liquid catalyst phase, the hydrocarbon phase including ionic liquid catalyst droplets;
• a second stage separation step comprising separating the ionic liquid catalyst droplets from the hydrocarbon phase by retaining the ionic liquid catalyst droplets with a retaining material for retaining ionic liquid catalyst droplets in a first vessel;
• passing a stream comprising the hydrocarbon phase and the retaining material with retained ionic liquid catalyst droplets to a second vessel;
• collecting the retaining material with retained ionic liquid catalyst in the second vessel to provide an ionic liquid catalyst lean hydrocarbon stream from the second vessel, the ionic liquid catalyst lean hydrocarbon stream having a viscosity less than 1 centipoise;
• and,
• removing the retained ionic liquid catalyst from the retaining material in the second vessel with at least one of a solvent and a desorbent,
• wherein the hydrocarbon phase from the first stage separation step is passed directly to the second stage separation step, and at least a portion of the recovered ionic liquid catalyst is returned to the ionic liquid catalyst reaction zone;
• wherein the retaining material comprises an adsorbent material selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, silica gel, glass, sand, a salt, an ion exchange resin, activated carbon, a polymer, a natural fiber, a zeolite, a molecular sieve, and a combination thereof;
• and
• wherein the second vessel includes a filter material to collect the retaining material with retained ionic liquid catalyst in the second vessel.