Abstract:
Systems and methods are provided for integration of a reactor for polyolefin pyrolysis with the effluent processing train for a steam cracker. The polyolefins can correspond to, for example, polyolefins in plastic waste. Integrating a process for polyolefin pyrolysis with a steam cracker processing train can allow a mixture of polymers to be converted to monomer units while reducing or minimizing costs and/or equipment footprint. This can allow for direct conversion of polyolefins to the light olefin monomers in high yield while significantly lowering capital and energy usage due to integration with a steam cracking process train. The integration can be enabled in part by selecting feeds with appropriate mixtures of various polymer types and/or by limiting the volume of the plastic waste pyrolysis product relative to the volume from the steam cracker(s) in the steam cracking process train. By selecting plastic waste and/or other polyolefin sources with an appropriate mixture of polyolefins as the feedstock, the resulting polyolefin pyrolysis product can be separated in a steam cracking process train to produce separate fractions for various polymer grade small olefin products.
Abstract:
A multi-stage process for upgrading tars is provided. A predominantly hydrotreating stage can be applied before a cracking stage, which can be a hydrocracking or a thermal cracking stage. Alternatively, a predominantly cracking stage, which can be a hydrocracking or a thermal cracking stage, can be applied before a hydrotreating stage. Apparatus suitable for performing the method is also provided.
Abstract:
A multi-stage process for upgrading tars is provided. A predominantly hydrotreating stage can be applied before a cracking stage, which can be a hydrocracking or a thermal cracking stage. Alternatively, a predominantly cracking stage, which can be a hydrocracking or a thermal cracking stage, can be applied before a hydrotreating stage. Apparatus suitable for performing the method is also provided.
Abstract:
A process for making phenol and/or cyclohexanone comprises: (A) oxidizing a cyclohexylbenzene feed to obtain an oxidation product comprising cyclohexylbenzene, cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide and phenol; (B) separating at least a portion of the oxidation product to obtain a first fraction comprising cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide and a second fraction comprising cyclohexylbenzene and phenol; (C) removing at least a portion of the phenol from at least a portion of the second fraction to obtain a third fraction; (D) recycling at least a portion of the cyclohexylbenzene in the third fraction to the oxidizing step (A); and (E) contacting at least a portion of the cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide in the first fraction with an acid catalyst in a cleavage reactor under cleavage conditions to obtain a cleavage product comprising phenol and cyclohexanone.
Abstract:
Method for concentrating an organic hydroperoxide mixture comprising a hydrocarbon and a hydroperoxide corresponding thereto comprises evaporating a first liquid mixture in a thin-film evaporation device followed by separation in a separation zone. Both the evaporation device and the separation zone operate at a low absolute pressure at a temperature lower than the thermal degradation temperature of the hydroperoxide to prevent thermal decomposition thereof. The process is particularly useful for concentrating an oxidation product made from the oxidation of cyclohexylbenzene.
Abstract:
A process for producing phenol and/or cyclohexanone by cleaving cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide in a loop cleavage reactor comprising multiple reaction zones connected in series. In desirable embodiments, fresh cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide feed(s) are supplied to reaction zones the final reaction zone, and fresh acid catalyst is supplied only to the final reaction zone. In desirable embodiments, a portion of the effluent exiting the final reaction zone is recycled to the first reaction zone. Each reaction zone is equipped with a heat exchanger downstream of the feed port to extract heat generated from the cleavage reaction.
Abstract:
In a process for producing phenol and cyclohexanone, reaction components comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and an acid catalyst are supplied to a cleavage reaction zone, mixed under mixing conditions effective to combine the reaction components into a reaction mixture and at least part of the cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide in the reaction mixture is converted under cleavage conditions to into phenol and cyclohexanone; and a cleavage effluent is recovered from the cleavage reaction zone. The cleavage and mixing conditions are controlled such that the ratio tR/tM is at least 10, where tR is the half-life of cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide under the cleavage conditions and tM is the time required after injection of a tracer material into the reaction mixture under the mixing conditions for at least 95% by volume of the entire reaction mixture to attain at least 95% of the volume-averaged tracer material concentration.
Abstract:
In a process for producing phenol, a mixture of cyclohexylbenzene with from 10 to 90 wt % of a solvent is contacted with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst and under conditions effective to oxidize at least a portion of the cyclohexylbenzene to cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide. The catalyst comprises a cyclic imide having an imide group of formula (I): wherein X represents an oxygen atom, a hydroxyl group, or an acyloxy group. At least a portion of the oxygen is dissolved in the mixture and the liquid phase molar ratio of cyclohexylbenzene to oxygen dissolved in the mixture is less than or equal to 20,000:1.