Methods and apparatuses for treating an organic feed

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9815755-B2
Application number	US-201514863714-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2015
Priority date	Sep 26, 2014
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

The present subject matter relates to methods and apparatuses for the continuous preparation of a cumene feed for a cumene oxidation process. More specifically, the subject matter relates to a process for passing a cumene alpha-methylstyrene stream through a caustic wash column having an integrated water wash section for the removal of organic acids.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for treating an organic feed comprising:
a line for introducing a feed stream from a feed tank containing organic feed into a caustic wash section of a caustic wash column, the feed stream comprising cumene, alpha-methylstyrene, and phenol;
a line for introducing an aqueous caustic scrubbing solution into the caustic wash column;
a line for introducing a water stream into a water wash section of the caustic wash column;
jetting trays within the column for contacting of the feed through an aqueous caustic scrubbing solution to remove the phenol from the feed;
a line for removing spent aqueous caustic and phenol from the caustic wash column; and
a line for removing an organic product from the water wash section of the caustic wash column wherein the organic product has a reduced level of phenol relative to the feed stream.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus removes 10-25 wt % of phenol.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said aqueous caustic scrubbing solution contains sodium hydroxide.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous scrubbing solution contains 40-50 wt % of sodium hydroxide.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the organic product is a mixture comprising of 75-90 wt % cumene and alphamethylstyrene.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the caustic wash column is operated at a pressure from about 0.1 to 3.0 kg/cm2(g) and a temperature from about 30 to 60° C.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a mesh blanket for coalescing of any water and aqueous caustic scrubbing solution.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the caustic wash section comprises a plurality of trays.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the water wash section comprises a plurality of trays.

10. An apparatus for treating an organic feed comprising:
a line for introducing a feed stream from a feed tank into a caustic wash column having a caustic wash section and a water wash section, the feed stream comprising cumene, alpha-methylstyrene and phenol;
a line for introducing a scrubbing solution comprising 45 wt % sodium hydroxide into the caustic wash column;
a line for introducing a water stream into a water wash section of the caustic wash column;
jetting trays within the column for contacting of the feed through an aqueous caustic scrubbing solution to remove the organic acid from the feed;
a line for removing water, sodium hydroxide, and sodium phenate from the lower portion of the caustic wash column; and
a line for removing 10-25 wt % phenol from the feed.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the caustic wash column is operated at a pressure from about 0.1 to 3.0 kg/cm2(g) and a temperature from about 30 to 60° C.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a mesh blanket for coalescing of any water and aqueous caustic scrubbing solution.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the caustic wash section comprises a plurality of trays.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the water wash section comprises a plurality of trays.

Assignees

• Uop Llc

Inventors

• Williams Chad A
• Bullen Patrick J

Classifications

• C07C7/10 Primary

  by extraction, i.e. purification or separation of liquid hydrocarbons with the aid of liquids · CPC title

• B01D11/0426

  Counter-current multistage extraction towers in a vertical or sloping position · CPC title

• B01D11/0492

  Applications, solvents used · CPC title

• B01D11/04

  of solutions which are liquid · CPC title

• C07C15/44

  the hydrocarbon substituent containing a carbon-to-carbon double bond · CPC title