Pneumatically agitated ionic liquid alkylation using vaporization to remove reaction heat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9545614-B2
Application number	US-201514656950-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2015
Priority date	Mar 13, 2015
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

Abstract

Systems and apparatus for ionic liquid catalyzed hydrocarbon conversion, such as alkylation, using vaporization to remove reaction heat from an ionic liquid reactor and to provide mixing therein, wherein hydrocarbon vapors are withdrawn from the ionic liquid reactor and the withdrawn hydrocarbon vapor is recovered by a hydrocarbon vapor recovery unit in fluid communication with the ionic liquid reactor for recycling condensed hydrocarbons to the ionic liquid reactor. Processes for ionic liquid catalyzed alkylation are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
an ionic liquid reactor configured for performing an ionic liquid catalyzed exothermic hydrocarbon conversion reaction, wherein the ionic liquid reactor comprises a hydrocarbon vapor outlet configured for withdrawing hydrocarbon vapor from the ionic liquid reactor;
at least one ionic liquid injection nozzle disposed within the ionic liquid reactor, each said ionic liquid injection nozzle configured for injecting ionic liquid catalyst into the ionic liquid reactor;
at least one hydrocarbon feed injection unit disposed within the ionic liquid reactor and separate from the at least one ionic liquid injection nozzle, each said hydrocarbon feed injection unit configured for injecting a hydrocarbon feed stream that is a combined hydrocarbon feed stream comprising at least one isoparaffin and at least one olefin into the ionic liquid reactor;
a hydrocarbon vapor recovery unit in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon vapor outlet, wherein the hydrocarbon vapor recovery unit is configured for receiving hydrocarbon vapor withdrawn from the ionic liquid reactor and for condensing the withdrawn hydrocarbon vapor to provide a condensed hydrocarbon liquid stream; and
a condensed hydrocarbon liquid conduit, in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon vapor recovery unit, configured for recycling the condensed hydrocarbon liquid stream to the ionic liquid reactor;
wherein the ionic liquid reactor is configured for containing a liquid reaction medium, and the ionic liquid reactor is pneumatically agitated by bubbles of the hydrocarbon vapor generated within the liquid reaction medium via reaction heat from the exothermic hydrocarbon conversion reaction.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the ionic liquid reactor is substantially cylindrical,
the ionic liquid reactor is oriented in an orientation selected from the group consisting of vertically oriented and horizontally oriented,
the ionic liquid reactor includes a reactor base and a reactor top, and
each of a plurality of the ionic liquid injection nozzles is disposed at substantially the same height from the reactor base.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
each said ionic liquid injection nozzle is disposed in a basal portion of the ionic liquid reactor, and
each said ionic liquid injection nozzle is configured for injecting the ionic liquid catalyst into the ionic liquid reactor in an upward direction.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
each said ionic liquid injection nozzle is disposed in a top portion of the ionic liquid reactor, and
each said ionic liquid injection nozzle is configured for injecting the ionic liquid catalyst into the ionic liquid reactor in a downward direction.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
each said hydrocarbon feed injection unit is disposed in a basal portion of the ionic liquid reactor, and
each said hydrocarbon feed injection unit is configured for injecting the hydrocarbon feed stream into the ionic liquid reactor in an upward direction.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein each said ionic liquid injection nozzle is disposed adjacent to each said hydrocarbon feed injection unit.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one hydrocarbon feed injection unit comprises a plurality of hydrocarbon feed injection units, and
the plurality of hydrocarbon feed injection units are spaced apart from each other in a manner selected from the group consisting of horizontally spaced apart, vertically spaced apart, and combinations thereof.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the ionic liquid reactor is vertically oriented,
at least one of said hydrocarbon feed injection units is disposed axially with respect to the ionic liquid reactor, and
the at least one hydrocarbon feed injection unit is configured for injecting the hydrocarbon feed stream in an upward direction into an inner zone of the ionic liquid reactor.

9. A system, comprising:
an ionic liquid reactor configured for performing an ionic liquid catalyzed exothermic hydrocarbon conversion reaction, wherein the ionic liquid reactor comprises a hydrocarbon vapor outlet configured for withdrawing hydrocarbon vapor from the ionic liquid reactor;
at least one ionic liquid injection nozzle disposed within the ionic liquid reactor, each said ionic liquid injection nozzle configured for injecting ionic liquid catalyst into the ionic liquid reactor;
at least one hydrocarbon feed injection unit disposed within the ionic liquid reactor, each said hydrocarbon feed injection unit configured for injecting a hydrocarbon feed stream into the ionic liquid reactor;
a hydrocarbon vapor recovery unit in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon vapor outlet, wherein the hydrocarbon vapor recovery unit is configured for receiving hydrocarbon vapor withdrawn from the ionic liquid reactor and for condensing the withdrawn hydrocarbon vapor to provide a condensed hydrocarbon liquid stream; and

a condensed hydrocarbon liquid conduit, in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon vapor recovery unit, configured for recycling the condensed hydrocarbon liquid stream to the ionic liquid reactor, further comprising a draft tube disposed vertically in the ionic liquid reactor, wherein the draft tube includes an expanded upper portion.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one ionic liquid injection nozzle provides ionic liquid catalyst droplets.

11. A system, comprising:
an ionic liquid reactor configured for performing an ionic liquid catalyzed exothermic hydrocarbon conversion reaction, wherein the ionic liquid reactor comprises a hydrocarbon vapor outlet configured for withdrawing hydrocarbon vapor from the ionic liquid reactor;
at least one ionic liquid injection nozzle disposed within the ionic liquid reactor, each said ionic liquid injection nozzle configured for injecting ionic liquid catalyst into the ionic liquid reactor;
at least one hydrocarbon feed injection unit disposed within the ionic liquid reactor, each said hydrocarbon feed injection unit configured for injecting a hydrocarbon feed stream into the ionic liquid reactor;
a hydrocarbon vapor recovery unit in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon vapor outlet, wherein the hydrocarbon vapor recovery unit is configured for receiving hydrocarbon vapor withdrawn from the ionic liquid reactor and for condensing the withdrawn hydrocarbon vapor to provide a condensed hydrocarbon liquid stream; and

a condensed hydrocarbon liquid conduit, in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon vapor recovery unit, configured for recycling the condensed hydrocarbon liquid stream to the ionic liquid reactor, wherein the hydrocarbon vapor recovery unit comprises:
a vapor/entrained liquid separator in fluid communication with, and disposed downstream from, the hydrocarbon vapor outlet,
a gas compressor in fluid communication with, and disposed downstream from, the vapor/entrained liquid separator,
a heat exchanger in fluid communication with, and disposed downstream from, the gas compressor, and
a gas/condensed liquid separator in fluid communication with, and disposed downstream from, the heat exchanger.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one ionic liquid injection nozzle provides ionic liquid catalyst droplets.

13. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a demister unit, in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon vapor outlet, the demister unit configured for removing entrained liquid from the hydrocarbon vapor.

14. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the ionic liquid reactor compris

Assignees

• Chevron Usa Inc

Inventors

• Mohr Donald Henry
• Luo Huping
• Lowe Clifford Michael
• Timken Hye Kyung Cho
• Parimi Krishniah
• Girgis Michael John
• Chang Bong-Kyu

Classifications

• B01J19/0013

  Controlling the temperature of the process · CPC title

• B01J2219/24

  Stationary reactors without moving elements inside · CPC title

• B01J2219/0011

  involving reactant liquids · CPC title

• B01J19/2405

  provoking a turbulent flow of the reactants, such as in cyclones, or having a high Reynolds-number · CPC title

• B01J2219/00103

  in a heat exchanger separate from the reactor · CPC title