Hydrogen fluoride alkylation with effluent refrigeration

Claim 2

A PROCESS OF EFFLUENT REFRIGERATION APPLIED TO THE ALKYLATION OF ISOPARAFFINIC HYDROCARBONS BY OLEFINIC HYDROCARBONS WHEREIN HYDROGEN FLUORIDE IS THE ALKYLATION REACTION CATALYST AND THE REACTION VESSEL COMPRISES AN ELONGATE VERTICAL TUBE INTERCONNECTING AN OVERHEAD SETTLER VESSEL AND A BELOWSITUTATED ACID COOLER VESSEL, THERE BEING AN ADDITIONAL VALVE-CONTROLLED RECYCLE FLOW LINE INTERCONNECTING THE SETTLER AND ACID COOLER WHEREBY CIRCULATION OF LIQUID ALKYLATION REACTION MIXTURE OCCURS UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID REACTION VESSEL TO SAID SETTLER AND SEPARATED ACID RETURNS FROM SAID SETTLER DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID FLOW LINE TO SAID COOLER VESSEL, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF A. ADMIXING SAID ISOPARAFFINIC HYDROCARBON AND SAID OLEFINIC HYDROCARBONS WITH LIQUID HYDROGEN FLUORIDE CATALYST IN AN ALKYLATION REACTION STEP IN SAID REACTION VESSEL, B. PASSING SAID REACTION MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS, INCLUDING ALKYLATE, PROPANE AND ISOBUTANE, AND SAID CATALYST FROM SAID REACTION VESSEL OVERHEAD TO SAID SETTLER, C. MAINTAINING SAID SETTLER, SAID REACTOR AND SAID ACID COOLER UNDER SUFFICIENT BACK PRESSURE TO MAINTAIN ALL OF SAID REACTION MIXTURE IN LIQUID PHASE, D. WITHDRAWING OVERHEAD FROM SAID SETTLER A HYDROCARBON PHASE WHICH COMPRISES PRIMARILY ISOBUTANE AND ALKYLATE AND A MINOR AMOUNT OF PROPANE AND CATALYST, E. REDUCING THE PRESSURE ON SAID HYDROCARBONS, THEREBY REFRIGVAPORIZE EXCESS VOLATILE HYDROCARBONS, THEREBY REFRIGERATING SAID HYDROCARBON PHASE, F. PASSING AT LEAST A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF SAID REFRIGERATED HYDROCARBON PHASE, INCLUDING BOTH LIQUID AND VAPOR WITHOUT SEPARATION, IN INDIRECT HEAT EXCHANGE WITH SAID ACID IN SAID COOLER WHEREBY TO LOWER THE TEMPERATURE THEREOF, G. PASSING SAID HYDROCARBON PHASE, AFTER USE OF SAME AS A HEAT EXCHANGE MEDIUM IN STEP (F) TO A VAPOR-LIQUID SEPARATING STEP, H. THE VAPOR PHASE FROM SAID SEPARATING STEP BEING PASSED TO A DEPROPANIZING STEP AND OVERHEAD FROM SAID DEPROPANIZING STEP BEING PASSED TO AN HF STRIPPING STEP, I. RECYCLING HYDROGEN FLUORIDE CATALYST FROM SAID STRIPPING STEP TO THE ALKYLATION REACTION IN STEP (A), J. PASSING A FIRST PORTION OF THE SEPARATION STEP LIQUID BOTTOMS FROM STEP (G) TO A DEISOBUTANIZING STEP AND RECYCLING OVERHEAD LIQUIDS FROM SAID DEISOBUTANIZING STEP TO THE REACTION STEP (A), AND K. WITHDRAWING ALKYLATE PRODUCT BOTTOMS FROM SAID DEISOBUTANIZING STEP.

Claim 3

A process as in claim 1 including passing a minor portion of the said refrigerated hydrocarbon phase in indirect heat exchanging relationship with the feeds to the reaction step (a).

Claim 4

A process as in claim 1 including recycling the depropanizing step bottoms to said vapor-liquid separating step (g).

Claim 5

A process as in claim 1 including passing a second portion of the separation step liquid bottoms from step (g) as recycle feed to the alkylation reaction step.

Claim 6

A process as in claim 1 wherein hydrogen fluoride catalyst is recycled from the HF stripping step to said flow line from said settler to said acid cooler.

Claim 7

A process as in claim 1 wherein hydrogen fluoride catalyst is recycled from said HF stripping step to join the hydrocarbon reactant feeds to the reaction step.

Claim 8

A process of effluent refrigeration applied to the alkylation of isoparaffinic hydrocarbons by olefinic hydrocarbons wherein hydrogen fluoride is the alkylation reaction catalyst and the reaction vessel comprises an elongate vertical tube interconnecting an overhead settler vessel and a below-situated acid cooler vessel, there being an additional valve-controlled recycle flow line interconnecting the setter and acid cooler, whereby circulation of liquid alkylation reaction mixture occurs upwardly through said reaction vessel to said settler and separated acid returns from said settler downwardly through said flow line to said cooler vessel, comprising the steps of: a. admixing said isoparaffinic hydrocarbons and said olefinic hydrocarbons with liquid hydrogen fluoride catalyst in an alkylation reaction step in said reaction vessel, b. passing said reaction mixture of hydrocarbons, including alkylate, propane and isobutane, and said catalyst from said reaction vessel overhead to said settler, c. maintaining said settler, said reactor and said acid cooler under sufficient back pressure to maintain all of said reaction mixture in liquid phase, d. withdrawing overhead from said settler a hydrocarbon phase which comprises primarily isobutane and alkylate and a minor amount of propane and catalyst, e. reducing the pressure on said hydrocarbon phase to vaporize excess volatile hydrocarbons, thereby refrigerating said hydrocarbon phase, f. passing at least a substantial portion of said refrigerated hydrocarbon phase, including both liquid and vapor, without separation, in indirect heat exchange with said acid in said acid cooler, whereby to lower the temperature thereof, g. passing said hydrocarbon phase, after use of same as a heat exchange medium in step (f) to a vapor-liquid separating step, h. a first portion of said vapor phase from said separating step being passed to a depropanizing step and overhead from said depropanizing step being passed to an HF stripping step, i. recycling hydrogen fluoride catalyst from said stripping step to the alkylation reaction in step (a), j. a second portion of said vapor phase separated from said separating step being recycled after compression and condensation to join the hydrocarbon reactant feeds to the reaction step (a), and k. separating an alkylate product from the liquid bottoms from said separating step.

Claim 9

A process of effluent refrigeration applied to the alkylation of isoparaffinic hydrocarbons by olefinic hydrocarbons wherein hydrogen fluoride is the alkylation reaction catalyst and the reaction vessel comprises an elongate vertical tube interconnecting an overhead settler vessel and a below-situated acid cooler vessel, there being an additional valve-controlled recycle flow line interconnecting the setter and acid cooler, whereby circulation of liquid alkylation reaction mixture occurs upwardly through said reaction vessel to said settler and separated acid returns from said settler downwardly through said flow line to said cooler vessel, comprising the steps of: a. admixing said isoparaffinic hydrocarbons and said olefinic hydrocarbons with liquid hydrogen fluoride catalyst in an alkylation reaction step in said reaction vessel, b. passing said reaction mixture of hydrocarbons, including alkylate, propane and isobutane, and said catalyst from said reaction vessel overhead to said settler, c. maintaining said settler, said reactor and said acid cooler under sufficient back pressure to maintain all of said reaction mixture in liquid phase, d. withdrawing overhead from said settler a hydrocarbon phase which comprises primarily isobutane and alkylate and a minor amount of propane and catalyst, e. reducing the pressure on said hydrocarbon phase to vaporize excess volatile hydrocarbons, thereby refrigerating said hydrocarbon phase, f. passing at least a substantial portion of said refrigerated hydrocarbon phase, including both liquid and vapor, without separation, in indirect heat exchange with said acid in said acid cooler, whereby to lower the temperature thereof, g. passing said hydrocarbon phase, after use of same as a heat exchange medium in step (f) to a vapor-liquid separating step, h. a first portion of said vapor phase from said separating step being passed to a depropanizing step and overhead from said depropanizing step being passed to an HF stripping step, i. recycling hydrogen fluoride catalyst from said stripping step to the alkylation reaction in step (a), j. a second portion of said vapor phase separated from said separating step being recycled after compression and condensation to join the hydrocarbon reactant feeds to the reaction step (a), and k. separating an alkylate product from the liquid bottoms from said separating step.

Claim 10

A process as in claim 8 wherein the liquid bottoms from said separating step (g) are passed in their entirety to a deisobutanizing step, the overhead from the deisobutanizing step being recycled to the reaction step (a) and the liquid bottoms from said deisobutanizing step being withdrawn as alkylate product.

Claim 11

A process of effluent refrigeration applied to the alkylation of isoparaffinic hydrocarbons by olefinic hydrocarbons where hydrogen fluoride is the alkylation reaction catalyst, there being separate vessels for reaction and settling steps comprising; a. admixing said isoparaffinic hyDrocarbons and said olefinic hydrocarbons with liquid hydrogen fluoride catalyst in an alkylation reaction step in said reaction vessel, b. passing said reaction mixture of hydrocarbons, including alkylate, propane and isobutane, and said catalyst from said reaction vessel to said settler, c. maintaining said settler and said reaction vessel under sufficient back pressure to maintain all of said reaction mixture in liquid phase, d. separating hydrogen fluoride catalyst as liquid bottoms from said settling step and recycling a first portion of said catalyst to the reaction step (a), e. withdrawing overhead from said settler a hydrocarbon phase which comprises primarily isobutane and alkylate and a minor amount of propane and catalyst, f. reducing the pressure on said hydrocarbon phase to vaporize excess volatile hydrocarbons and thereby refrigerate said hydrocarbon phase, g. passing at least a substantial portion of said refrigerated hydrocarbon phase, including both liquid and vapor without separation, in indirect heat exchange with said reaction mixture in the reaction step (a) whereby to lower the temperature thereof, h. said refrigerated hydrocarbon phase, after being used as a heat exchange medium, being passed to a separating step wherein liquid and vapor phases are separated and a first portion of the liquid phase from said separating step is passed to a deisobutanizing step, i. the overhead from said deisobutanizing step being recycled to the reaction step (a), the liquid bottoms from the deisobutanizing step being withdrawn as alkylate product, j. a second portion of said catalyst from said settling step being passed to a hydrogen fluoride regenerating step, and the regenerated hydrogen fluoride catalyst from said regenerating step is recycled to the alkylation reaction step (a), k. the vapor phase from said separating step being compressed, condensed and passed to a depropanizing step and overhead from said depropanizing step being passed to an HF stripping step, and

Claim 12

A process of effluent refrigeration applied to the alkylation of isoparaffinic hydrocarbons by olefinic hydrocarbons where hydrogen fluoride is the alkylation reaction catalyst, there being separate vessels for reaction and settling steps comprising; a. admixing said isoparaffinic hyDrocarbons and said olefinic hydrocarbons with liquid hydrogen fluoride catalyst in an alkylation reaction step in said reaction vessel, b. passing said reaction mixture of hydrocarbons, including alkylate, propane and isobutane, and said catalyst from said reaction vessel to said settler, c. maintaining said settler and said reaction vessel under sufficient back pressure to maintain all of said reaction mixture in liquid phase, d. separating hydrogen fluoride catalyst as liquid bottoms from said settling step and recycling a first portion of said catalyst to the reaction step (a), e. withdrawing overhead from said settler a hydrocarbon phase which comprises primarily isobutane and alkylate and a minor amount of propane and catalyst, f. reducing the pressure on said hydrocarbon phase to vaporize excess volatile hydrocarbons and thereby refrigerate said hydrocarbon phase, g. passing at least a substantial portion of said refrigerated hydrocarbon phase, including both liquid and vapor without separation, in indirect heat exchange with said reaction mixture in the reaction step (a) whereby to lower the temperature thereof, h. said refrigerated hydrocarbon phase, after being used as a heat exchange medium, being passed to a separating step wherein liquid and vapor phases are separated and a first portion of the liquid phase from said separating step is passed to a deisobutanizing step, i. the overhead from said deisobutanizing step being recycled to the reaction step (a), the liquid bottoms from the deisobutanizing step being withdrawn as alkylate product, j. a second portion of said catalyst from said settling step being passed to a hydrogen fluoride regenerating step, and the regenerated hydrogen fluoride catalyst from said regenerating step is recycled to the alkylation reaction step (a), k. the vapor phase from said separating step being compressed, condensed and passed to a depropanizing step and overhead from said depropanizing step being passed to an HF stripping step, and

Claim 13

A process as in claim 10 wherein a portion of said refrigerated hydrocarbon phase is passed in indirect heat exchanging relationship with a catalyst recycle from the settling step (b) to the reaction step (a).

Claim 14

A process as in claim 10 wherein a minor portion of said refrigerated hydrocarbon phase is passed in indirect heat exchanging relationship with the hydrocarbon reactant feeds to the reaction step (a).

Claim 15

A process as in claim 10 wherein a minor portion of said refrigerated hydrocarbon phase is passed in indirect heat exchanging relationship with both the catalyst recycle from the settling step (b) and the hydrocarbon reactant feeds to the reaction step (a).