Integrated Hydro-Dechlorination and Hydro-Regeneration for Alkylate Gasoline
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current processes for producing high-quality alkylate gasoline with low chloride content are inadequate, as they fail to effectively integrate hydro-regenerating and hydro-dechlorinating steps to remove chloride contaminants efficiently.
Innovation Solution
An integrated process involving alkylating hydrocarbons using a chloride-containing ionic liquid catalyst, followed by hydro-regenerating the catalyst and hydro-dechlorinating the alkylate gasoline in separate reactors, with an off-gas rich in hydrogen recycled between the reactors to maintain efficient catalyst regeneration and chloride removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hydro-regenerating and hydro-dechlorinating are performed in separate processes, then catalyst regeneration and chloride removal can be addressed, but process complexity and operational inefficiency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines hydro-regenerating and hydro-dechlorinating operations into a single integrated process using one reactor vessel. The reactor simultaneously performs catalyst regeneration by hydrogenating deactivated catalyst species and removes chloride contaminants from alkylate gasoline through hydro-dechlorination, eliminating the need for separate process units and reducing operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The reactor system is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it serves as both a hydrogenation reactor for catalyst regeneration and a dechlorination reactor for chloride removal from the product stream. This multi-functional approach allows a single piece of equipment to address both the catalyst deactivation issue and the chloride contamination issue that arise in alkylation processes.
2Productivity
If chloride-containing ionic liquid catalyst is used for alkylation, then high alkylate gasoline yield is achieved, but chloride contaminant removal becomes necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful chloride contaminant into beneficial HCl gas through hydro-dechlorination. The chloride removed from the alkylate gasoline is transformed into HCl, which can be recycled back to the alkylation reactor as a catalyst promoter, thereby converting a waste product into a valuable process ingredient that enhances catalyst activity.
Solution Approach 2:
The process utilizes changes in chemical parameters (adding hydrogen) to transform the chloride contaminant state. By introducing hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst, the chloride is converted from an organic chloride contaminant in the alkylate to inorganic HCl gas, which can then be separated and recycled, effectively removing the harmful contaminant while maintaining productivity.
3Reliability
If hydrogen is added for hydro-regeneration and hydro-dechlorination, then catalyst regeneration and chloride removal are effective, but hydrogen consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers and recycles hydrogen within the process system. The off-gas from the integrated reactor, which contains unreacted hydrogen along with HCl and light hydrocarbons, is separated and the hydrogen is recycled back to the reactor. This internal recycling significantly reduces the net hydrogen consumption required for both catalyst regeneration and hydro-dechlorination operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The process implements a feedback loop where the off-gas composition is monitored and hydrogen is recycled back to the reactor based on process requirements. This feedback mechanism ensures that hydrogen is efficiently utilized and reused, minimizing waste and reducing the overall hydrogen consumption while maintaining effective catalyst regeneration and chloride removal.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This integrated process significantly reduces chloride content in alkylate gasoline while maintaining high yields of desirable trimethylpentane products, enhancing the overall quality and efficiency of alkylate gasoline production.
Implementation Method 1
b. hydro-regenerating the chloride-containing ionic liquid catalyst in a hydrogenation reactor
Implementation Method 2
c. hydro-dechlorinating the alkylate gasoline comprising the chloride contaminant in a dechlorination reactor
Data Source
AI summary
We provide an integrated process to produce alkylate gasoline, comprising:a. alkylating a mixture of hydrocarbons using a chloride-containing ionic liquid catalyst in an alkylation reactor to produce an alkylate gasoline comprising a chloride contaminant;b. hydro-regenerating the chloride-containing ionic liquid catalyst in a hydrogenation reactor;c. hydro-dechlorinating the alkylate gasoline comprising the chloride contaminant in a dechlorination reactor at a dechlorination pressure from 0 to 1000 psig of a hydrogenation pressure used in the hydrogenation reactor, to produce a dechlorinated alkylate gasoline; andd. feeding an off-gas, comprising 70 to 99.9 vol % hydrogen, from the dechlorination reactor to the hydrogenation reactor. We also provide an integrated alkylation process unit for conducting this process.