Process and apparatus for producing olefins from light alkanes

• US 10,640,434 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kainos Tech Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kainos Tech Incorporated
• Inventors: Hong, Jin Ki
• Primary Examiner(s): Bullock, In Suk C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cepluch, Alyssa L
• Application Number:
  US16/027,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20190010098A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00991 Disengagement zone in fluidised-bed reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0055 using cyclones
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/1836 Heating and cooling the reactor B01J8/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/1872 Details of the fluidised bed reactor B01J8/1836 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/24 according to "fluidised-bed" technique B01J8/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/26 with two or more fluidised beds, e.g. reactor and regeneration installations
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 11/06 Propene
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 11/08 with four carbon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 11/09 Isobutene
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 11/167 1, 3-Butadiene
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 5/333 Catalytic processes

Abstract

A process and an apparatus for producing olefins from light alkanes. A light alkane feed is contacted with catalyst particles in each of reactors, wherein each of the reactors is a fluidized bed reactor. At least a portion of the alkane feed is converted to olefins using the catalyst particles, wherein the olefins form a part of a reactor effluent stream. The reactor effluent streams from each of the reactors are merged to form a merged effluent stream. The merged effluent stream is separated into an olefin stream and the other streams. The other streams may comprise a recycle stream and light gases.

Claims

1. A method for producing olefins comprising:

contacting a light alkane with dehydrogenation catalyst particles in at least two reactors, wherein each of the reactors is a fluidized bed reactor partially embedded in a furnace such that an upper end portion of each of the reactors is protruded from an upper wall of the furnace, wherein the light alkane is propane, butane, or a combination thereof;

converting at least a portion of the alkane to olefins, wherein the olefins form a part of a reactor effluent stream, and wherein, during the converting, the catalyst particles reach a level of the upper wall of the furnace;

merging the reactor effluent streams from each of the reactors to form a first merged effluent stream;

separating an olefin stream comprising the olefins from the first merged effluent stream; and

regenerating the catalyst particles to reactivate the catalyst particles deactivated during the converting,

wherein all the reactors in the furnace are switched as a group between a production mode for performing the converting and a regeneration mode for regenerating the catalyst particles deactivated during the production mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the olefin stream comprises propylene, 1-butene, 2-butene, isobutene, 1,3-butadiene, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the separating step separates the first merged effluent stream into the olefin steam, a recycle stream, and light gases, wherein the recycle stream comprises propane, butane, or a combination thereof, and the light gases comprise methane and hydrogen.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the catalyst particles are fluidized inside each of the reactors.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the catalyst particles are 10-500 micrometers in diameter.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the converting step, an outside wall of each of the reactors is heated by a flue gas, wherein the flue gas is generated by combustion of fuel.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a pressure of the reactor is 100 psig (790 kPa) or less during the converting step.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a temperature of the catalyst particles is between 500°

C. and 700°

C. during the converting step.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a temperature of the furnace is between 700°

C. and 1200°

C. during the converting step.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the upper end portion is 10%-70% of the length of each of the reactors in a height direction.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the regeneration mode, all the reactors in the furnace are fluidly disconnected from the light alkane feed and fed with a gas stream for catalyst regeneration.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the reactors are connected in parallel, but not in series.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the furnace comprises multiple furnaces and the first merged effluent stream from each of the multiple furnaces is further merged with each other to form a second merged effluent stream.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the reactors in the furnace in which the regenerating occurs are fluidly disconnected from the light alkane feed and fed with a gas stream for catalyst regeneration.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the reactors in the furnace in which the regenerating occurs are fluidly disconnected from the second merged effluent stream.