Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc.

Dion Zhang

Paul Hamilton

Terrance C Osby

Michael Louis Hergenrother

Robert Piszczek

Brian W Heins

Zhongcheng Wang

Jason A Nichols

Many linear alpha olefin (LAO) syntheses form a range of LAO products when oligomerizing ethylene in the presence of a Ziegler-type catalyst. The range of products typically requires a plurality of distillation columns to separate the LAO products up to a desired carbon count, but such approaches may be energy- and capital-intensive. LAO product separation using at least one dividing wall column may lessen these burdens. Methods for separating LAOs may comprise: providing a pre-processed product stream comprising Cg+ linear alpha olefins (LAOs) to a first of a series of distillation columns, at least one member of the series of distillation columns comprising a dividing wall column; and separating an overhead stream comprising a first LAO from the dividing wall column and one or more side streams from the dividing wall column, each side stream comprising a different LAO that also differs from the first LAO.

Process for the separation of linear alpha-olefins using a dividing wall column

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Dion Zhang