Chemistry of hydrocarbon compounds – Purification – separation – or recovery – By addition of extraneous agent – e.g. – solvent – etc.
Reexamination Certificate
1995-02-14
2001-06-12
Griffin, Walter D. (Department: 1764)
Chemistry of hydrocarbon compounds
Purification, separation, or recovery
By addition of extraneous agent, e.g., solvent, etc.
C585S833000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06245956
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a process for separating sulfone from a hydrocarbon stream which contains a small concentration of such sulfone.
It has recently been discovered that sulfone additives can be utilized in combination with traditional hydrogen fluoride alkylation catalysts as a means for reducing the volatility of the resultant catalyst mixture. One side effect from utilizing a sulfone additive in combination with a hydrofluoric acid alkylation catalyst is that small concentrations of sulfone become dissolved in the resultant alkylate product. The small concentration of sulfone in the alkylate product can have a negative impact on the alkylate as a gasoline blend component. Thus, even though the concentration of sulfone is very small, it is desirable to remove such small concentrations of sulfone from an alkylate product in order to prevent its negative economic consequences on refiners who use the alkylate as a gasoline blending component.
It is thus an object of this invention to provide a method for removing sulfone that is contained in an alkylate reaction product.
It is further an object of this invention to provide a process for separating a small concentration of sulfone contained in an alkylation reaction product which contains a concentration of such sulfone.
Thus, the process of the present invention includes separating sulfone from a hydrocarbon stream which contains a concentration of a sulfone. This process includes extracting the sulfone from the hydrocarbon stream by contacting such hydrocarbon stream with water. The water serves as an extraction solvent and thus extracts at least a portion of the sulfone contained in the hydrocarbon stream and provides an extract stream which is enriched with the sulfone and comprises water. A raffinate stream is produced which has a concentration of sulfone that is smaller than the concentration of sulfone in the original hydrocarbon stream which is contacted with the extraction solvent.
An additional embodiment of the invention relates to a method for removing sulfone from a hydrocarbon stream having a sulfone concentration of less than about 1 weight percent. The hydrocarbon stream is contacted with a water solvent and an extract stream enriched with sulfone and comprising water is recovered. Also recovered is a raffinate stream comprising a hydrocarbon having a concentration of sulfone that is below that of the sulfone concentration of the hydrocarbon stream.
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Eldridge Robert B.
Hovis Keith W.
Hunt Harold R.
Griffin Walter D.
Phillips Petroleum Company
Preisch Nadine
Stewart Charles W.
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