Method of producing ethylene

Abstract

Abstract THIS SPECIFICATION DISCLOSES A METHOD OF PRODUCING AN OLEFIN, SUCH AS ETHYLENE, CHARACTERIZED BY PHYSICALLY CONTACTING A HYDROCARBON FEED STREAM WITH A MOLTEN SALT OF EITHER ALKALI METAL CARBONATE, ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE, OR A MIXTURE THEREOF FOR A SUFFICIENT TIME TO ALLOW REACTION TO FORM HYDROCARBON PRODUCTS, CONTAINING ETHYLENE AS ONE OF THE MAJOR INGREDIENTS; SEPARATING THE HYDROCARBON PRODUCTS FROM THE MOLTEN SALT; AND SEPARATING THE ETHYLENE FROM THE HYDROCARBON PRODUCTS. THE SALT IS MAINTAINED AT A TEMPERATURE WITHIN THE RANGE OF 350*C.-850*C. PREFERABLY 550*C.-700*C. IN A SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT, THE MOLTEN SALT IS INTIMATELY CONTACTED BY AN OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS TO CONVERT CONTAMINANTS IN THE MOLTEN SALT TO GASES WHICH ARE WITHDRAWN TO REGANERATE THE MOLTEN SALT. THE REGENERATED MOLTEN SALT IS RECYCLED INTO CONTACT WITH THE HYDROCARBON FEED STREAM. THE MOLTEN SALT ALLEVIATES POLYMERIZATION AND ISOMERIZATION PROBLEMS; TIES UP CONTAMINANTS IN THE HYDROCARBON FEED, PREVENTING CORROSION WITHIN THE REACTOR AND SIMPLIFYING SEPARATION OF THE ETHYLENE FROM THE HYDROCARBON PRODUCTS; EFFECTS REACTION OF THE HYDROCARBONS AT LOWER TEMPERATURES, ALLOWING LESS EXPENSIVE MATERIALS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THE REACTION VESSELS; AND EFFECTS HIGH YIELDS OF ETHYLENE FROM HIGHER MOLEULAR WEIGHT HYDROCARBONS.

Inventors

• 👤 Mohendra S Bawa

Bibliographic Details