Alkylate 100 (Isooctene/Isooctane Process)
Lyondell has developed the process to produce isooctene/isooctane from isobutylene and mixed C4 feedstocks, ideally a “drop-in” to the existing MTBE reactor with patented use of TBA to improve selectivity and prolong catalyst life. Production of isooctane will be mainly based on two-step process involving catalytic dimerization followed by hydrogenation, with intermediate and final fractionation as required to meet final product specifications. The product has high gasoline blending quality with superior octane rating and vapor pressure.
Direct Olefin Hydration
Water vapor and olefin are combined at elevated pressure and temperature and are passed over the surface of a catalyst support impregnated with phosphoric acid. Ethers corresponding to the olefin are formed as by-products. The process is considered to be environmentally and technically the best commercial method for obtaining a consistently high quality alcohol product, such as: ethylene to ethanol, propylene to isopropanol.
SUPERFLEX
Superflex technology is a process for the production of propylene from low-cost feedstock such as coker or FCCU light gasoline as well as olefin plant mixed C4s and C5s streams. The catalytic process converts these feeds with high levels of selectivity toward propylene. The process is based on a fluidized catalytic reactor which can be easily integrated into an existing olefins plant and has flexibility to process many streams which may be available from the olefins plant and /or refinery.
C4 Olefin Skeletal Isomerization (IsomPlus)
A zeolite-based catalyst especially developed for this process provides near equilibrium conversion of normal butenes to isobutylene at high selectivity and long process cycle times. A simple process scheme and moderate process conditions result in low capital and operating costs. Hydrocarbon feed containing n-butenes, such as C4 raffinate, can be processed without steam or other diluents, nor the addition of catalyst activation agents to promote the reaction. Near equilibrium conversion levels up to 44% of the contained normal butenes are achieved at greater than 90% selectivity to isobutylene. During the process cycle, coke gradually builds up on the catalyst, reducing the isomerization activity. At the end of the process cycle, the feed is switched to a fresh catalyst bed and the spent catalyst bed is regenerated by oxidizing the coke with an air/nitrogen mixture. The butene isomerate is suitable for feed to an Isooctene/ETBE unit or making high purity isobutylene polymer product. When an IsomPlus unit is operated in a recycle mode with a high conversion Isooctene/ETBE unit, production of Isooctene/ETBE can be significantly increased.
C5 Olefin Skeletal Isomerization (IsomPlus)
A zeolite-based catalyst especially developed for this process provides near equilibrium conversion of normal pentenes to isoamylene at high selectivity and long process cycle times. Hydrocarbons feed containing n-pentenes, such as C5 raffinate, are processed in the skeletal isomerization reactor without steam or other diluents, nor the addition of catalyst activation agents to promote the reaction. Conversion near equilibrium levels up to 72% of the contained normal pentenes is observed at greater than 95% selectivity to isoamylenes. The pentenes isomerate is suitable for feed to a TAME unit.
Butadiene Extraction
The butadiene recovery process integrates KLP process for removal of acetylenes, with our butadiene recovery process using acetonitrile. Complete process and energy integration results in a superior quality product as well as higher recovery at competitive capital and operating costs. The standard process design is based on zero hydrocarbon discharge to atmosphere and no process gas compressor required. The process is ideally suited or the highest recovery of butadiene form a stream of mixed C4s as well as a low solvent loss rate and an integrated heat recovery scheme.
Butene-1/MEK/Isobutylene/isooctene/ETBE
We offer several different process technologies to better utilization of the mixed C4s stream in addition to BD Extraction:
- High purity Butene-1 by hydrogenation of BD and isomerization of B-2 to B1.
- MEK from butylenes sulfates hydrolysis and dehydrogenation.
- High purity isobutylene from reverse isomerization.
- Isobutylene to isooctene or ETBE.
C5 Olefins Recovery
The C5 recovery process integrates dimerization process for controlling CPD to form DCPD (dicyclopentadiene), with the use of distillation columns to recover piperylenes and DCPD. Isoprene is recovered from the crude C5 stream through the use of extractive distillation using acetonitrile. The produced basic C5 streams are:
- 70 and 99% Isoprene concentrate
- 55-60% Piperylene concentrate
- 80%, 85%, and 95% DCPD