Uop Lcc

Brian S Muldoon

Robert R Frame

Laurence O Stine

Steven C Gimre

Bipin Virpal Vora

Terry L Marker

Bryan K Glover

Patrick S O'Neill

Stevem C Gimre

A process for the production of C,and higher carbon number alkene oligomers by the oligomerization of light olefins to heavier olefins is improved by the addition of heavy paraffins to the oligomerization zone. The recycle of the heavy paraffins extends the catalyst activity and improves the catalyst life. The non-reactive paraffin stream may be recycled through the process with minimal losses and make-up.

Process for oligomer production and saturation

A process for the production of C.sub.8 and higher carbon number alkene oligomers by the oligomerization of light olefins to heavier olefins is improved by the addition of heavy paraffins to the oligomerization zone. The recycle of the heavy paraffins extends the catalyst activity and improves the catalyst life. The non-reactive paraffin stream may be recycled through the process with minimal losses and make-up.

A process for the production of C.sub.8 and higher olefins by the oligomerization of light olefins to heavier olefins is improved by the addition of cycloparaffins to the oligomerization zone. The recycle of the cycloparaffins extends the catalyst activity and improves the catalyst life. Cyclohexane provides an excellent solvent for removing deposits from the catalyst with chemical inertness to the process and a boiling range that allows its essentially complete recovery when producing nonenes and higher olefins from propylene feeds.

A process for the production of C.sub.8 and higher olefins by the oligomerization of light olefins to heavier olefins is improved by the addition of heavy paraffins to the oligomerization zone. The recycle of the heavy paraffins extends the catalyst activity and improves the catalyst life.

A process for the production of C.sub.8 alkene isomers by the oligomerization of light olefins to heavier olefins is improved by the addition of heavy paraffins to the oligomerization zone. The recycle of the heavy paraffins improves the selectivity of the oligomerization for C.sub.8 olefin isomers that have a high octane number when saturated and reduces catalyst fouling. The saturated octane number of the resulting C.sub.8 isomers is particularly improved when the oligomerization zone is operated at reduced temperature conditions.

A process for the production of saturated oligomers by the oligomerization of light olefins to heavier olefins and the saturation of the heavy olefins is improved by the recycle of the heavy paraffins to the oligomerization zone. The recycle of the heavy paraffins improves the selectivity of the oligomerization for C.sub.8 paraffin products and reduces catalyst fouling. The reduced catalyst fouling can be used to operate the oligomerization zone at lower pressure and facilitate its integration with a dehydrogenation zone for the production of the light olefin stream.

An integrated process to produce diisopropyl ether from propane has been developed. In a first reaction zone the propane in a feedstock, after any hydrocarbons containing four or more carbon atoms are removed from the feedstock via fractionation, is dehydrogenated in the presence of a dehydrogenation catalyst to form propylene. After removing hydrogen, the propane and propylene mixture generated in the first reaction zone is separated into a propane enriched stream and a propylene enriched stream where the propylene enriched stream contains at least 65 mass % propylene. The propane enriched stream is recycled to the feedstock fractionation unit, and the propylene of the propylene enriched stream is reacted with water in a second reaction zone in the presence of an acidic catalyst to form isopropyl alcohol which is concurrently reacted with propylene to produce diisopropyl ether. A portion of the second reaction zone effluent is recycled to the second reaction zone, and the remainder may be collected or further separated to provide a high purity diisopropyl ether product. A variant to produce high purity propylene as well as diisopropyl ether is also discussed.

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Mt. Prospect, IL, United States of America

Brian S Muldoon