Isomerization process using feedstock containing dissolved hydrogen

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11155757-B2
Application number	US-201816303363-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2018
Priority date	Jan 27, 2017
Publication date	Oct 26, 2021
Grant date	Oct 26, 2021

Abstract

A process and system is provided including hydroisomerization reaction zone for production of high octane gasoline blending components that provide high selectivity for producing high octane isomers of light paraffins. A light paraffin feed is enriched by incorporation of dissolved hydrogen, thereby permitting a reaction phase that is liquid or substantially liquid to produce high octane gasoline blending components. Accordingly, a substantially two phase isomerization reactor system is provided, with a hydrogen-enriched liquid feedstock phase and a solid phase catalyst.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process for isomerization of a gasoline pool feedstock comprising normal and single branched C 4 -C 6 paraffins, the process comprising:
mixing the normal and single branched C 4 -C 6 paraffinic feedstock, and hydrogen gas, in a mixing zone that comprises one or more gas-liquid distributor vessels that include a plurality of hydrogen distribution apparatus, each hydrogen distribution apparatus comprising a tubular injector fitted with a nozzle and/or a jet and that is configured to uniformly distribute hydrogen gas into the feedstock to achieve a saturation state in the mixing zone, to produce a mixture of hydrogen-enriched feedstock reactants;
contacting the hydrogen-enriched feedstock reactants with a solid isomerization catalyst for hydroisomerization in a substantially two-phase liquid-solid isomerization fixed-bed reaction zone under conditions that minimize cracking reactions and that are effective to isomerize paraffins in the gasoline pool feedstock into branched paraffins; and
recovering an isomerate effluent stream.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein an excess of hydrogen gas is used, wherein the mixture comprises hydrogen-enriched feedstock reactants and undissolved hydrogen gas, the process further comprising separating the mixture of hydrogen-enriched feedstock and undissolved hydrogen into undissolved hydrogen and hydrogen-enriched feedstock reactants.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the feedstock has a RON of 60 or less.

4. The process of claim 3 , wherein the isomerate effluent stream has a RON of at least 80.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroisomerization conditions include a temperature of from 20° C. to 300° C.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroisomerization conditions include a temperature of from 100° C. to 180° C.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroisomerization conditions include a pressure of from 10 bars to 100 bars.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroisomerization conditions include a pressure of from 20 bars to 70 bars.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroisomerization conditions include a LHSV of 0.2 to 20 h −1 .

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroisomerization conditions include a LHSV of 1 to 2 h −1 .

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroisomerization conditions comprise a hydrogen to hydrocarbon mole ratio of 0.01 to 20.0.

12. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroisomerization conditions comprise a hydrogen to hydrocarbon mole ratio of 0.02 to 10.0.

13. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroisomerization conditions comprise a hydrogen to hydrocarbon mole ratio of 0.05 to 1.0.

14. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroisomerization conditions are effective to maintain least 90 V % of the feedstock in liquid phase.

15. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroisomerization conditions are effective to maintain least 95 V % of the feedstock in liquid phase.

16. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroisomerization conditions are effective to maintain least 98 V % of the feedstock in liquid phase.

17. The process of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst comprises 0.05 wt. % to 5 wt. % of the at least one Group VIIIB metal.

18. The process of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst comprises a base material including zeolite and metal oxides with metals from Group IIIA-B or IVA-B.

19. The process of claim 1 , further comprising separating the isomerate effluent stream into straight chain paraffins and branched paraffins.

20. The process as in claim 19 , further comprising recycling the separated straight chain paraffins to the substantially two-phase liquid-solid isomerization reaction zone.

21. The process of claim 1 , further comprising separating the isomerate effluent stream into straight chain paraffins/singly branched paraffins, and branched paraffins.

22. The process as in claim 21 , further comprising recycling the straight chain paraffins/singly branched paraffins to the substantially two-phase liquid-solid isomerization reaction zone.

23. The process of claim 1 , further comprising
contacting the isomerate effluent stream with a solid isomerization catalyst in a second isomerization reaction zone under conditions that minimize cracking reactions and that are effective for further isomerization; and
recovering a second reaction zone isomerate effluent stream.

24. The process of claim 23 , wherein the second isomerization reaction zone operates as a substantially liquid-solid two-phase system.

25. The process of claim 23 , further comprising mixing the isomerate effluent stream with hydrogen gas prior to contacting in the second reaction zone.

26. The process of claim 25 , wherein the second isomerization reaction zone operates as a substantially liquid-solid two-phase system.

27. The process of claim 26 , further comprising separating a mixture of hydrogen-enriched isomerate effluent stream reactants and undissolved hydrogen gas into undissolved hydrogen and hydrogen-enriched isomerate effluent, wherein hydrogen-enriched isomerate effluent is contacted in the second isomerization reaction zone.

28. The process of claim 1 , wherein the one or more gas-liquid distributor vessels is a column having a top, a bottom and plural plates, and wherein a hydrogen distribution apparatus is included at the bottom and at each of the plates.

29. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroisomerization conditions are effective to maintain at least 98 V % of the feedstock in liquid phase and include a temperature of from 100° C. to 180° C., a pressure of from 20 bars to 70 bars, a liquid hourly space velocity of 0.2 to 20 h−1, and a hydrogen to hydrocarbon mole ratio of 0.02 to 10.0.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Koseoglu Omer Refa

Classifications

• C10G2300/4018

  Spatial velocity, e.g. LHSV, WHSV · CPC title

• C10G65/043 Primary

  at least one step being a change in the structural skeleton · CPC title

• C10G2300/4006

  Temperature · CPC title

• C07C5/2791

  with metals · CPC title

• C10G2300/305

  Octane number, e.g. motor octane number [MON], research octane number [RON] · CPC title