Abstract: The invention provides a process for producing hydrogen for a hydrogen consuming process comprising obtaining a net gas stream containing hydrogen, compressing the gas stream to a pressure of 20.7 to 68.9 bar (300 to 1000 psig) to produce a compressed gas stream; sending the compressed gas stream to a pressure swing adsorption unit to be separated into a hydrogen stream and a fuel gas stream; purging the pressure swing adsorption unit with an external purge gas stream from a hydroprocessing unit off gas; treating the off gas with a thermal swing adsorption unit to remove water and other impurities prior to purging the pressure swing adsorption unit, and using a protective adsorbent layer in the pressure swing adsorption unit to adsorb impurities from the external purge gas.

Abstract: A reforming process is described. The reforming process includes introducing a hydrocarbon stream comprising hydrocarbons having 5 to 12 carbon atoms into a reforming zone containing reforming catalyst, the reforming zone comprising at least two reformers, each reformer having a set of reforming operating conditions, to produce a reformate effluent, wherein the last reformer contains less catalyst than the next to the last reformer.

Abstract: One or more processes for recovering entrained ionic liquid from a hydrocarbon phase containing droplets of ionic liquid are described. The processes includes contacting the hydrocarbon phase containing the droplets of ionic liquid with a retaining material in a separation zone. The droplets of ionic liquid are retained by the retaining material. The ionic liquid may be recovered from the retaining material with a solvent or desorbent. The retaining material may be regenerated and the ionic liquid may be reactivated. The retaining material may be used in a wash vessel to retain or remove contaminant solids within the reactor or other vessels.

Abstract: Processes for separating conjunct polymer from an organic phase are described. A mixture comprising an ionic liquid phase and the organic phase into the ionic phase and an organic phase comprising the conjunct polymer and at least one silyl or boryl compound. The organic phase is separated in a fractionation column into an overhead fraction comprising unreacted silane or borane compound and a bottoms fraction comprising the conjunct polymer and the silyl or boryl compound. The bottoms fraction is passed through an adsorption zone, and the silyl or boryl compound is recovered. Alternatively, the organic phase is passed through an adsorption zone first to remove the conjunct polymer and then a fractionation zone to separate the unreacted silane or borane compound from the silyl or boryl compound.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for separating a chlorine-containing species from an aqueous solution of the chlorine-containing species in a catalytic hydrocarbon conversion process that includes the step of oxidizing a spent chloride-containing hydrocarbon conversion catalyst, the spent hydrocarbon conversion catalyst including a hydrocarbon residue formed thereon. The oxidizing forms a flue gas including chlorine-containing species, water, and oxides of carbon. The method further includes contacting the flue gas with a water scrubbing stream to dissolve at least a portion of the chlorine-containing species in the water scrubbing stream to form an aqueous acid solution and contacting the aqueous acid solution with a hygroscopic liquid to generate dehydrated hydrogen chloride gas.

Abstract: The present invention involves processes and equipment for handling chloride in an ionic liquid alkylation system. The processes involve not only breaking down the organic chloride to active HCl for ionic liquid activation, but also recovering HCl in the effluent downstream to maintain the HCl requirements while also reducing HCl emissions. This equipment may be used in conjunction with an isomerization reaction zone which is integrated into the ionic liquid alkylation process to further isomerize n-paraffins to isoparaffins for recycle to the alkylation reaction zone.

Abstract: A process for adsorbing hydrogen chloride (HCl) from a regeneration vent gas. The regeneration vent gas is cooled from a catalyst regeneration zone. The cooled regeneration vent gas is passed to an adsorption zone that is spaced apart from the catalyst regeneration zone. HCl from the regeneration vent gas is adsorbed onto a sorbent in the adsorption zone to enrich the sorbent with HCl to provide HCl-rich sorbent and deplete HCl from the regeneration vent gas to provide HCl-lean regeneration vent gas. HCl-lean regeneration vent gas is purged as an effluent gas. HCl-rich sorbent is passed from the adsorption zone to a sorbent regeneration zone. HCl from the HCl-rich sorbent in the sorbent regeneration zone is desorbed to provide a regenerated sorbent. The regenerated sorbent is transferred to the adsorption zone.

Abstract: Processes and apparatuses for producing aromatic compounds from a naphtha feed stream are provided herein. In an embodiment, a process for producing aromatic compounds includes heating the naphtha feed stream to produce a heated naphtha feed stream. The heated naphtha feed stream is reformed within a plurality of reforming stages that are arranged in series to produce a downstream product stream. The plurality of reforming stages is operated at ascending reaction temperatures. The naphtha feed stream is heated by transferring heat from the downstream product stream to the naphtha feed stream to produce the heated naphtha feed stream and a cooled downstream product stream.

Abstract: Process for adsorbing a species from a feed gas stream. Feed gas stream is introduced to an adsorption zone having a sorbent. Species from the feed gas stream is adsorbed onto the sorbent at an adsorbing temperature to enrich the sorbent with the species and deplete the species from the feed gas stream. Species-lean product gas stream is output. Species-rich sorbent from the adsorption zone is passed to a regeneration zone. Regenerant gas at a regenerating temperature greater than the adsorbing temperature is introduced into the regeneration zone to strip the species from the species-rich sorbent. Regenerated sorbent from the regeneration zone passes to a cooling zone disposed below the regeneration zone. Regenerated sorbent is cooled at a cooling temperature below the regenerating temperature. Cooled sorbent is transferred to the adsorbent zone.

Abstract: A process for reforming hydrocarbons is presented. The process involves applying process controls over the reaction temperatures to preferentially convert a portion of the hydrocarbon stream to generate an intermediate stream, which will further react with reduced endothermicity. The intermediate stream is then processed at a higher temperature, where a second reforming reactor is operated under substantially isothermal conditions.

Abstract: A flow connector creates a fluid connection between a port in a wall of a reactor vessel and an axial flow path of the reactor vessel. The flow connector has a wall defining a flow path of the flow connector. The flow path terminates in a first end opening and a second end opening. The first end opening is configured to connect to the axial flow path of the reactor vessel, and the second end opening is configured to connect to the port in a wall of the reactor. The flow connector includes a passageway extending through the wall of the flow connector to provide access to the flow path of the flow connector. A cover is dimensioned for sealing the passageway. The passageway may be dimensioned such that a person may traverse the passageway to access the flow path of the flow connector.

Abstract: A process for adsorbing HCl from a regeneration vent gas. The regeneration vent gas from a regeneration zone is cooled, and the cooled regeneration vent gas is passed to an adsorption zone that is spaced apart from the regeneration zone. A spent catalyst is passed from a reaction zone to the adsorption zone. HCl from the regeneration vent gas is adsorbed onto the spent catalyst in the adsorption zone to enrich the spent catalyst with HCl to provide HCl-rich spent catalyst and deplete HCl from the regeneration vent gas to provide HCl-lean regeneration vent gas. The HCl-lean regeneration vent gas is purged to atmosphere, and the HCl-rich spent catalyst is passed to a regeneration zone disengaging hopper.

Abstract: A process for adsorbing hydrogen chloride (HCl) from a regeneration vent gas. The regeneration vent gas is cooled from a catalyst regeneration zone. The cooled regeneration vent gas is passed to an adsorption zone that is spaced apart from the catalyst regeneration zone. HCl from the regeneration vent gas is adsorbed onto a sorbent in the adsorption zone to enrich the sorbent with HCl to provide HCl-rich sorbent and deplete HCl from the regeneration vent gas to provide HCl-lean regeneration vent gas. HCl-lean regeneration vent gas is purged as an effluent gas. HCl-rich sorbent is passed from the adsorption zone to a sorbent regeneration zone. HCl from the HCl-rich sorbent in the sorbent regeneration zone is desorbed to provide a regenerated sorbent. The regenerated sorbent is transferred to the adsorption zone.

Abstract: A process for adsorbing hydrogen chloride (HCl) from a regeneration vent gas. The regeneration vent gas from a regeneration zone is cooled, and the cooled regeneration vent gas is passed to an adsorption zone that is spaced apart from the regeneration zone. HCl from the regeneration vent gas is adsorbed onto a spent catalyst in the adsorption zone to enrich the spent catalyst with HCl to provide HCl-rich spent catalyst and deplete HCl from the regeneration vent gas to provide HCl-lean regeneration vent gas. The HCl-lean regeneration vent gas is purged as an effluent gas. The HCl-rich spent catalyst is passed to the regeneration zone.

Abstract: Process for adsorbing a species from a feed gas stream. Feed gas stream is introduced to an adsorption zone having a sorbent. Species from the feed gas stream is adsorbed onto the sorbent at an adsorbing temperature to enrich the sorbent with the species and deplete the species from the feed gas stream. Species-lean product gas stream is output. Species-rich sorbent from the adsorption zone is passed to a regeneration zone. Regenerant gas at a regenerating temperature greater than the adsorbing temperature is introduced into the regeneration zone to strip the species from the species-rich sorbent. Regenerated sorbent from the regeneration zone passes to a cooling zone disposed below the regeneration zone. Regenerated sorbent is cooled at a cooling temperature below the regenerating temperature. Cooled sorbent is transferred to the adsorbent zone.

Abstract: Processes for separating conjunct polymer from an organic phase are described. A mixture comprising an ionic liquid phase and the organic phase into the ionic phase and an organic phase comprising the conjunct polymer and at least one silyl or boryl compound. The organic phase is separated in a fractionation column into an overhead fraction comprising unreacted silane or borane compound and a bottoms fraction comprising the conjunct polymer and the silyl or boryl compound. The bottoms fraction is passed through an adsorption zone, and the silyl or boryl compound is recovered. Alternatively, the organic phase is passed through an adsorption zone first to remove the conjunct polymer and then a fractionation zone to separate the unreacted silane or borane compound from the silyl or boryl compound.

Abstract: One or more processes for recovering entrained ionic liquid from a hydrocarbon phase containing droplets of ionic liquid are described. The processes includes contacting the hydrocarbon phase containing the droplets of ionic liquid with a retaining material in a separation zone. The droplets of ionic liquid are retained by the retaining material. The ionic liquid may be recovered from the retaining material with a solvent or desorbent. The retaining material may be regenerated and the ionic liquid may be reactivated. The retaining material may be used in a wash vessel to retain or remove contaminant solids within the reactor or other vessels.

Abstract: A process for improving the yield of ethylene and propylene from a light naphtha feedstock includes obtaining light naphtha feedstock from a primary cracking zone having a cracking catalyst. The light naphtha feedstock is contacted with an olefin catalyst in an olefin producing zone to produce an ethylene- and propylene-rich stream. After reacting with the olefin catalyst, the ethylene- and propylene-rich stream is separated from the olefin catalyst from in a separator zone. At least a portion of the olefin catalyst is regenerated by combusting coke deposited on a surface of the olefin catalyst in an oxygen-containing environment, and at least a portion of the olefin catalyst is heated. These portions could be the same one or they could be different. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the olefin catalyst could be neither regenerated nor heated. The olefin catalyst is returned to the olefin producing zone.

Abstract: Embodiments of apparatuses and methods for removing acid gas from sour gas are provided. In one example, an apparatus comprises an absorption zone. The absorption zone is configured for contacting the sour gas with an absorbent solvent that is at a first predetermined temperature of less than about 0° C. to remove the acid gas and form a treated gas stream that includes entrained absorbent solvent. A heat exchanger or heater is configured to heat the treated gas stream to a second predetermined temperature of greater than about 0° C. to form a partially heated treated gas stream. A water wash zone is configured for contacting the partially heated treated gas stream with water to remove the entrained absorbent solvent and form a solvent-depleted treated gas stream.

Abstract: A reforming process includes an endpoint reduction zone for converting C11+ components via selective hydrogenation and hydrodealkylation to lower boiling point aromatics, such as benzene, toluene, and xylene, or their single ring aromatic C9-C10 precursors.