Nozzle design for ionic liquid catalyzed alkylation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9388093-B2
Application number	US-201414323333-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2014
Priority date	Jul 3, 2014
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

Abstract

Systems for ionic liquid catalyzed hydrocarbon conversion comprise a reactor vessel, a mixing device in fluid communication with the reactor vessel, and at least one circulation loop in fluid communication with the reactor vessel and the mixing device. The mixing device may comprise an upper venturi, at least one feed injection component, and a lower venturi. Such systems may be used for ionic liquid catalyzed alkylation reactions. Processes for ionic liquid catalyzed hydrocarbon conversion are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for ionic liquid catalyzed hydrocarbon conversion, the system comprising:
a reactor vessel having a top; and
a mixing device disposed at the top of the reactor vessel, wherein the mixing device comprises:
an upper venturi having an axial outlet at the upper venturi distal end, the upper venturi distal end disposed within the reactor vessel,
at least one feed injection array disposed within the reactor vessel, each said feed injection array coaxial with the upper venturi, and
a lower venturi having an axial inlet at the lower venturi proximal end, the lower venturi proximal end disposed within the reactor vessel, wherein:
the lower venturi inlet is spaced radially outward from the upper venturi outlet to define an inter-venturi channel between the upper venturi distal end and the lower venturi proximal end,
the lower venturi is coaxial with the upper venturi,
the mixing device is configured for projecting a central jet of a first liquid downward from the upper venturi outlet into the lower venturi, and
each said feed injection array is configured for projecting second liquid toward an axis of the upper venturi.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the lower venturi inlet is disposed at the same elevation or about the same elevation as the upper venturi outlet.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the lower venturi has a lower venturi constriction point,
the at least one feed injection array comprises a single feed injection array, and
the single feed injection array is disposed either at a first elevation of the mixing device or at a second elevation of the mixing device, and wherein:
the first elevation is at the same elevation or about the same elevation as the lower venturi inlet, and
the second elevation is at the same elevation or about the same elevation as the lower venturi constriction point.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one feed injection array comprises:
a first feed injection array disposed at a first elevation of the mixing device, and
a second feed injection array disposed at a second elevation of the mixing device.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein:
the first elevation is at the same elevation or about the same elevation as the lower venturi inlet,
the lower venturi has a lower venturi constriction point at an elevation below the lower venturi inlet, and
the second elevation is at the same elevation or about the same elevation as the lower venturi constriction point.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein each said feed injection array comprises from six (6) to 50 feed injection nozzles.

7. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a circulation loop in fluid communication with the reactor vessel and the mixing device, the circulation loop having a first loop end coupled to a vessel outlet of the reactor vessel for withdrawing reactor effluent from the reactor vessel into the circulation loop, and the circulation loop further having a second loop end coupled to the mixing device, wherein the circulation loop comprises:
an ionic liquid catalyst inlet configured for adding fresh ionic liquid catalyst to the reactor effluent, wherein the first liquid comprises the reactor effluent in combination with the fresh ionic liquid catalyst, and
a heat exchanger configured for cooling the first liquid.

8. The system according to claim 7 , further comprising:
an ionic liquid/hydrocarbon separator in fluid communication with the circulation loop, wherein:
the ionic liquid/hydrocarbon separator is external to the circulation loop,
the system is configured for feeding a portion of the reactor effluent from the circulation loop to the ionic liquid/hydrocarbon separator, and
the ionic liquid/hydrocarbon separator is configured for separating the portion of reactor effluent into an ionic liquid catalyst phase and a hydrocarbon phase.

9. The system according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a fractionation unit in fluid communication with the ionic liquid/hydrocarbon separator, wherein:
the fractionation unit comprises one or more distillation columns, and
the fractionation unit is configured for separating an alkylate product from the hydrocarbon phase.

10. The system according to claim 7 , further comprising a static mixer in fluid communication with the heat exchanger and the mixing device.

11. The system according to claim 1 ,
wherein:

the system additionally comprises a circulation loop in fluid communication with the reactor vessel, and wherein:
each said feed injection array comprises a plurality of feed injection nozzles;
each said feed injection array is configured for projecting a plurality of lateral jets of a second liquid toward the axis of the upper venturi;
the circulation loop comprises a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the reactor vessel;
the heat exchanger is configured for cooling reactor effluent of the reactor vessel;
the circulation loop is in fluid communication with the mixing device for delivering cooled reactor effluent to the mixing device; and
the first liquid comprises the cooled reactor effluent.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein:
the mixing device is configured for projecting the central jet axially downward from the upper venturi outlet into the lower venturi inlet, and
the axis of each said feed injection nozzle intersects the axis of the upper venturi at a common intersection at an elevation below the upper venturi outlet.

13. The system according to claim 11 , wherein:
the lower venturi proximal end is disposed at the same elevation or about the same elevation as the upper venturi distal end,
the at least one feed injection array is at the same elevation or about the same elevation as the lower venturi proximal end, and
the plurality of feed injection nozzles terminate at the same radial location or about the same radial location as the perimeter of the upper venturi outlet.

14. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the system further comprises a vessel outlet and a circulation loop in fluid communication with the vessel outlet;
the mixing device is in fluid communication with the reactor vessel;
the system is configured for withdrawing a reactor effluent from the reactor vessel via the vessel outlet into the circulation loop;
the circulation loop comprises a heat exchanger configured for cooling withdrawn reactor effluent;
the circulation loop is configured for recirculating at least a portion of the withdrawn reactor effluent to the mixing device to provide an external recirculation stream to the reactor vessel;
the external recirculation stream comprises the withdrawn reactor effluent;
the upper venturi has an axial upper venturi inlet at the upper venturi proximal end and is in fluid communication with the circulation loop for receiving the external recirculation stream at the axial upper venturi inlet;
the upper venturi is configured for projecting a central jet of the external recirculation stream axially downward from the upper venturi outlet and;
each said feed injection array is configured for simultaneously projecting a plurality of lateral jets of hydrocarbon feed toward the central jet of the external recirculation stream.

15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein:
the lower venturi inlet is disposed at the same elevation or about the same elevation as the upper venturi outlet,
each of the lower venturi inlet and the upper venturi outlet is at least substantially circular,
the inter-venturi channel is at least substantially annular, and
the in

Assignees

• Luo Huping
• Ahmed Moinuddin
• Parimi Krishniah
• Chang Bong Kyu
• Girgis Michael John
• Mohr Donald Henry
• Timken Hye Kyung Cho
• Chevron Usa Inc

Inventors

• Luo Huping
• Ahmed Moinuddin
• Parimi Krishniah
• Chang Bong Kyu
• Girgis Michael John
• Mohr Donald Henry
• Timken Hye Kyung Cho

Classifications

• B01F2015/0221

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• C07C5/277

  Catalytic processes · CPC title

• C07C4/06

  Catalytic processes {(C07C4/025 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B01J19/26

  Nozzle-type reactors, i.e. the distribution of the initial reactants within the reactor is effected by their introduction or injection through nozzles · CPC title

• C07C2/70

  with acids · CPC title