US4242531A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Olefin dimerization
Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Co
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Filing: 1978-08-14
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Granted: 1980-12-30
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Expires: 1998-08-14
Abstract
Abstract Olefins are dimerized in a loop reactor with flashing of the reactor effluent in a flashing zone within the loop. A subsequent flash in a second flashing zone can also be used for the removal of product as flash vapor. In another embodiment, separated product dimers or product heavies are used as absorbents for unreacted ethylene. The use of a vapor-liquid contacting device incorporated in the loop reactor is especially helpful in the dimerization of an olefin when the olefin is available in low-concentration gas streams. A thermosiphon loop reactor can also be used for low-concentration olefin streams to minimize the power requirements as the energy of the feed gas is used to induce the reactor circulation.
Inventors
- 👤 Cecil O. Carter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 04:52
CPC Classifications
C; C07; C07C; C07C2/00; C07C2/02; C07C2/04; C07C2/06; C07C2/08; C07C2/26; C07C2/30; C07C2531/00; C07C2531/02; C07C2531/12; C07C2531/14; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P20/00; Y02P20/50; Y02P20/582
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
In a process for dimerizing an olefin which comprises: introducing said olefin into a continuous closed path reaction zone, reacting said olefin in the presence of a catalyst selective to dimerization and such conditions to result in the dimerization of the olefin, flashing the reaction mixture in a flashing zone to thereby form a flashed vapor and resultant liquid, recovering the product dimer from the flashed vapor of the flashing zone the improvement comprising carrying out said flashing in the shell side of a heat exchanger which is located in said continuous closed path reaction zone thereby removing part of the thermal heat of the dimerization.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
106 words
In a process for dimerizing an olefin which comprises: introducing said olefin into a continuous closed path reaction zone, reacting said olefin in the presence of a catalyst selective to dimerization and such conditions to result in the dimerization of the olefin, flashing the reaction mixture in a flashing zone to thereby form a flashed vapor and resultant liquid, recovering the product dimer from the flashed vapor of the flashing zone the improvement comprising carrying out said flashing in the shell side of a heat exchanger which is located in said continuous closed path reaction zone thereby removing part of the thermal heat of the dimerization.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the steps of: recycling a portion of the liquid flashed from the flashing zone to the reaction zone, and passing the remainder of the liquid obtained from the flashing zone to a recovery system for product recovery.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the material flow in said continuous closed path reaction zone is maintained at a velocity in the range of about 6-20 ft/sec.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process in accordance with claim 3 wherein said velocity is about 12 ft/sec.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said olefin is ethylene.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the product dimer is recovered from the flashed vapor in an absorption zone in which a portion of the product heavies is used as the absorbent.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the liquid from the flashing zone is flashed in a second flashing zone, and the flashed vapor from said second flashing zone is passed to a fractionation zone for the recovery of product dimer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
79 words
A process in accordance with claim 7 wherein the flashed vapor from the first flashing zone is passed to an absorption zone, the bottoms from the absorption zone is passed to the fractionator zone, product dimer is recovered as overhead from the fractionation zone with bottoms from the fractionation zone passed to said absorption zone as absorbent, and a side stream comprised of olefin and absorbent is withdrawn from said absorption zone and is recycled to the reaction zone.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process in accordance with claim 7 wherein the bottoms from said second flashing zone is filtered and recycled to the reaction zone.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
138 words
In a process for dimerizing an olefin which comprises: introducing said olefin into a continuous closed path reaction zone, reacting said olefin in the presence of a catalyst selective to dimerization under such conditions as to result in the dimerization of the olefin, the improvement comprising arranging the lower section of a vapor liquid contacting zone in said continuous closed path, recovering unreacted olefin with a solvent introduced into the upper section of said liquid-vapor contacting zone, passing a portion of the bottom from said vapor-liquid contacting zone to a recovery system for the recovery of the dimer product and solvent with the remainder being recycled to the vapor-liquid contacting zone and being introduced just above said lower section of said vapor-liquid contacting zone, and recycling the solvent to the vapor-liquid contacting zone as absorbent for unreacted olefin.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
138 words
In a process for dimerizing an olefin which comprises: introducing said olefin into a continuous closed path reaction zone, reacting said olefin in the presence of a catalyst selective to dimerization under such conditions as to result in the dimerization of the olefin, the improvement comprising arranging the lower section of a vapor liquid contacting zone in said continuous closed path, recovering unreacted olefin with a solvent introduced into the upper section of said liquid-vapor contacting zone, passing a portion of the bottom from said vapor-liquid contacting zone to a recovery system for the recovery of the dimer product and solvent with the remainder being recycled to the vapor-liquid contacting zone and being introduced just above said lower section of said vapor-liquid contacting zone, and recycling the solvent to the vapor-liquid contacting zone as absorbent for unreacted olefin.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
A process in accordance with claim 10 wherein said olefin is introduced as a low concentration stream of gases and said solvent is product dimer thereby recovering one portion of the dimer as product and recycling a second portion to the vapor-liquid containing zone as absorbent for unreacted olefin.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process in accordance with claim 10 wherein said olefin is ethylene and said catalyst is a mixture of a hydrocarbon-soluble nickel compound and an alkyl aluminum halide.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process in accordance with claim 12 wherein the aluminum/nickel molar ratio in the catalyst components is in the range of about 2.1 to about 7.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process in accordance with claim 10 wherein the material flow in the continuous closed path reaction zone is maintained at a velocity in the range of about 6-20 feet/sec.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
87 words
A process for dimerizing an olefin which comprises introducing a feed gas containing said olefin into a continuous closed path reaction zone including a vertically extended reaction zone wherein the olefin is reacted in the presence of a catalyst selective to dimerization under such conditions to result in the dimerization of the olefin and the reaction mixture passes through the continuous closed path reaction zone solely by the energy imparted to said catalyst by the feed gas and density differential in the continuous closed path reaction zone.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
87 words
A process for dimerizing an olefin which comprises introducing a feed gas containing said olefin into a continuous closed path reaction zone including a vertically extended reaction zone wherein the olefin is reacted in the presence of a catalyst selective to dimerization under such conditions to result in the dimerization of the olefin and the reaction mixture passes through the continuous closed path reaction zone solely by the energy imparted to said catalyst by the feed gas and density differential in the continuous closed path reaction zone.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process in accordance with claim 15, wherein said olefin is in low concentration in said first gas.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process in accordance with claim 16 wherein said olefin is ethylene.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-12-30 | 1984-06-30 | 1984-12-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-12-30 | 1988-06-30 | 1988-12-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-12-30 | 1992-06-30 | 1992-12-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |