Abstract:
The present invention relates to a process for monitoring the catalytic activity of an ionic liquid and for the regeneration of the ionic liquid in continuous conversion of an olefin in an alkylation. The process includes (a) providing an ionic liquid; (b) reacting a hydrocarbon mixture with the ionic liquid to obtain an ionic liquid phase. In step (d), adding an organic compound to the ionic liquid phase. In step (e), obtaining an absorption peak of a mixture from step (d) and in step (f) repeating until the absorption peak reaches a maximum or a minimum value. In step (g), determining the total amount of the organic compound or the ionic liquid phase added. Next, (h) calculating the catalytic activity of the ionic liquid. Then, (i) adding aluminium halides to the reaction of step (b) such that the activity of step (h) stays above the minimum level.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a composite ionic liquid comprising ammonium cations and composite coordinate anions derived from two or more metal salts, wherein at least one metal salt is an aluminium salt and any further metal salt is a salt of a metal selected from the group consisting of Group IB elements of the Periodic Table, Group IIB elements of the Periodic Table and transition elements of the Periodic Table, wherein the ammonium cation is a N,N′-disubstituted imidazolium cation, the substituents independently being selected from C1-C10 alkyl, and C6-C10 aryl. The composite ionic liquid of the invention is a stable catalyst, which can suitably be used to run an ionic liquid alkylation process which produces less solids and an alkylate product comprising less organic chlorides as side products than processes known from the prior art.
Abstract:
Biomass compaction during hydrothermal digestion of cellulosic biomass solids may become problematic, particularly as the vertical height of a cellulosic biomass charge increases. Compaction may be decreased in a horizontally configured hydrothermal digestion unit. Methods for digesting cellulosic biomass solids may comprise: providing a hydrothermal digestion unit having a length or a width greater than its height and containing a fluid phase digestion medium and a slurry catalyst capable of activating molecular hydrogen; introducing cellulosic biomass solids to the hydrothermal digestion unit; distributing the cellulosic biomass solids laterally within the hydrothermal digestion unit; after or while the cellulosic biomass solids are being distributed, supplying an upwardly directed flow of molecular hydrogen through the cellulosic biomass solids and the fluid phase digestion medium; and heating the cellulosic biomass solids in the presence of the slurry catalyst and the molecular hydrogen, thereby forming an alcoholic component derived from the cellulosic biomass solids.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a process for oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane, comprising the steps of: (a) subjecting a stream comprising ethane to oxidative dehydrogenation conditions; (b) removing water from at least part of the effluent resulting from step (a); (c) optionally removing unconverted oxygen and/or carbon monoxide and/or acetylene from at least part of the stream comprising ethylene, unconverted ethane, carbon dioxide, optionally unconverted oxygen, optionally carbon monoxide and optionally acetylene resulting from step (b); (d) removing ethylene from at least part of the stream comprising ethylene, unconverted ethane and carbon dioxide resulting from step (b) or (c) by a complexation separation method; (e) partially and selectively removing carbon dioxide from at least part of the stream comprising unconverted ethane and carbon dioxide resulting from step (d); (f) recycling at least part of the stream comprising unconverted ethane and carbon dioxided resulting from step (e) to step (a).
Abstract:
Maintaining long residence times during hydrothermal digestion of cellulosic biomass solids may be complicated by a number of factors, including biomass compaction. Advantages in this regard may be realized by digesting cellulosic biomass solids in an inclined digestion unit. Such methods can comprise: introducing cellulosic biomass solids to a hydrothermal digestion unit comprising one or more inclined surfaces therein; introducing a fluid phase digestion medium containing a slurry catalyst to the hydrothermal digestion unit, the slurry catalyst being capable of activating molecular hydrogen; supplying an upwardly directed flow of molecular hydrogen from a source disposed along each inclined surface as the cellulosic biomass solids descend along each inclined surface; and heating the cellulosic biomass solids as they descend along each inclined surface in the presence of the slurry catalyst and the molecular hydrogen, thereby forming an alcoholic component derived from the cellulosic biomass solids.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a process for oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane, comprising the steps of: (a) subjecting a stream comprising ethane to oxidative dehydrogenation conditions; (b) removing water from at least part of the effluent resulting from step (a); (c) optionally removing unconverted oxygen and/or carbon monoxide and/or ycetylene from at least part of the stream comprising ethylene, unconverted ethane, carbon dioxide, optionally unconverted oxygen, optionally carbon monoxide and optionally acetylene resulting from step (b); (d) removing ethylene from at least part of the stream comprising ethylene, unconverted ethane and carbon dioxide resulting from step (b) or (c) by a complexation separation method; (e) partially and selectively removing carbon dioxide from at least part of the stream comprising unconverted ethane and carbon dioxide resulting from step (d); (f) recycling at least part of the stream comprising unconverted ethane and carbon dioxide resulting from step (e) to step (a).
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a process for monitoring the catalytic activity of an ionic liquid. In step (a), providing an acidic ionic liquid; (b) providing an organic compound; (c) adding at least a portion of the organic compound to at least a portion of the ionic liquid; (d) recording an infrared spectrum of a mixture from step (c) to obtain at least one absorption peak. In step (e), repeating steps (c) and (d) until at least one absorption peak reaches a maximum value or a minimum value. In step (f), determining at the maximum value or minimum value of step (e): the total amount of the organic compound or the total amount of the ionic liquid added. In step (g), calculating the catalytic activity of the ionic liquid based on: the total amount of the organic compound or the total amount of ionic liquid, as determined in step (f).
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a process for preparing alkylate comprising the subsequent steps (a), (b) and (c): (a) an alkylation step, wherein in a reaction zone a hydrocarbon mixture comprising at least an isoparaffin and an olefin is reacted with an ionic liquid catalyst to obtain an effluent comprising alkylate and solids, which latter are formed as side products in the alkylation step; (b) a separation step, wherein at least part of the alkylate-comprising effluent coming from the reaction zone is separated in a separator unit into a hydrocarbon-rich phase and an ionic liquid catalyst-rich phase which latter phase also comprises solids formed as side products during the alkylation reaction; and (c) a solids removal step, wherein the solids in ionic liquid catalyst-rich phase are separated from the ionic liquid catalyst using a suitable separating device; wherein the process further comprises a step following the separation step (b) and prior to the solids removal step (c).
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a continuous or non-continuous ionic liquid alkylation process comprising a step for solids removal, the process further comprising the steps (a) measuring the solids content in the ionic liquid alkylation process stream by on line (in situ) or off line sampling; (b) in response to the solids measurement signal, regulating the flow of the ionic liquid side stream to be sent to the solids removal device; (c) regulating the flow of the fresh ionic liquid inlet stream, for controlling the solids content in the ionic liquid alkylation process to a pre-defined level. The process of the invention provides a means to more efficiently run an ionic liquid alkylation process.