GREEN ETHYLENE WATER RECYCLING

Abstract

Processes and systems for producing olefins, such as ethylene, include feeding a vapor-alcohol mixture to a dehydration reactor and dehydrating the alcohol to form a reaction effluent containing the olefin and water. The process includes rapid cooling and separation of the reaction effluent to recover the rapid-cooled effluent and gaseous hydrocarbons containing the olefin. The rapid-cooled effluent is separated to form a volatile organic compound stream and an aqueous organic effluent. Solids, hydrocarbons, or both, may be removed from the rapid-cooled effluent, the aqueous organic effluent, or both.The process further includes either or both of: feeding a portion of the aqueous organic effluent as a rapid-cooling medium, or, evaporating a portion of the aqueous organic effluent—including water and a hydrocarbon compound—to form a mixed dilution vapor stream and a residual liquid, and diluting the evaporated oxygenated hydrocarbon feedstock with the mixed dilution vapor stream to form a vaporized oxygenated hydrocarbon mixture.