Abstract: A catalyst useful for the alkylation or transalkylation of aromatic compounds is disclosed. The catalyst is an acid-treated zeolitic catalyst produced by a process including contacting an acidic zeolitic catalyst comprising surface non-framework aluminum and framework aluminum with an organic dibasic acid at a catalyst to acid weight ratio in the range from about 2:1 to about 20:1 and at a temperature in the range from about 50° C. to about 100° C. to selectively remove at least a portion of the surface non-framework aluminum. The resulting catalyst may have a measured first-order rate constant, kcum, for the alkylation of benzene with propylene to form cumene, of at least 2.0 cm3/s g.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of controlling the air to fuel ratio in a burner containing a venturi assembly. The venturi includes an air inlet, a primary fuel inlet with a converging section, a throat portion downstream from the converging section, a diverging section downstream from the throat portion, an outlet, and a secondary gas inlet disposed downstream from the converging section and upstream from the outlet. The method comprises introducing fuel into the fuel inlet, receiving air through the air inlet by inspiration, and feeding a gas through the secondary gas inlet, the flow rate and content of the gas fed through the secondary gas inlet being selected to result in a desired air to fuel ratio through the outlet. A method of firing a heater, a burner, a furnace and firing control systems also are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for recovery of natural gas liquids from a natural gas feed stream. The process runs at a constant pressure with no intentional reduction in pressure. An open loop mixed refrigerant is used to provide process cooling and to provide a reflux stream for the distillation column used to recover the natural gas liquids. The processes may be used to recover C3+ hydrocarbons from natural gas, or to recover C2+ hydrocarbons from natural gas.

Abstract: A process for the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane is disclosed. The process may include: contacting an ethane feed and an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of an oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst in an oxidative dehydrogenation reaction zone under conditions to oxidatively dehydrogenate at least a portion of the ethane to produce a product stream comprising ethylene, carbon oxides, water, and unreacted oxygen and ethane, wherein an oxygen concentration in the product stream is at least 0.1 mol %; contacting the product stream with an oxygen elimination catalyst in an oxygen elimination reaction zone to combust at least a portion of the oxygen; recovering from the oxygen elimination reaction zone an effluent having a reduced oxygen content; separating water from the effluent; separating carbon oxides and any non-condensable gas(es) from the ethylene and the unreacted ethane; and separating the ethylene from the unreacted ethane.

Abstract: A process for recovering ethylene is disclosed, the process including: recovering a ethylene-containing stream comprising methane, ethylene, and nitrogen oxides from at least one of an ethylene production process and an ethylene recovery process; separating the ethylene-containing stream via extractive distillation using at least one C2+ hydrocarbon absorbent to produce an overheads fraction comprising methane and nitrogen oxides and a bottoms fraction comprising the at least one C2+ hydrocarbon absorbent and ethylene; wherein the separating comprises operating the extractive distillation at temperatures and pressures sufficient to prevent any substantial conversion of nitrogen oxides to N2O3.

Abstract: Injection nozzles for use in a gas distribution device are disclosed. In one aspect, the injection nozzle may include: a tube having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; wherein the inlet comprises a plurality of flow restriction orifices. In another aspect, embodiments disclosed herein relate to an injection nozzle for use in a gas distribution device, the injection nozzle including: a tube having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; wherein the fluid inlet comprises an annular orifice surrounding a flow restriction device. Injection nozzles according to embodiments disclosed herein may be disposed in a gas distribution manifold used in a vessel, for example, for conducting polymerization reactions, spent catalyst regeneration, and coal gasification, among others.

Abstract: A catalyst useful for the alkylation or transalkylation of aromatic compounds is disclosed. The catalyst is an acid-treated zeolitic catalyst produced by a process including contacting an acidic zeolitic catalyst comprising surface non-framework aluminum and framework aluminum with an organic dibasic acid at a catalyst to acid weight ratio in the range from about 2:1 to about 20:1 and at a temperature in the range from about 50° C. to about 100° C. to selectively remove at least a portion of the surface non-framework aluminum. The resulting catalyst may have a measured first-order rate constant, kcum, for the alkylation of benzene with propylene to form cumene, of at least 2.0 cm3/s g.

Abstract: A process for recovering ethylene is disclosed, the process including: recovering a ethylene-containing stream comprising methane, ethylene, and nitrogen oxides from at least one of an ethylene production process and an ethylene recovery process; separating the ethylene-containing stream via extractive distillation using at least one C2+ hydrocarbon absorbent to produce an overheads fraction comprising methane and nitrogen oxides and a bottoms fraction comprising the at least one C2+ hydrocarbon absorbent and ethylene; wherein the separating comprises operating the extractive distillation at temperatures and pressures sufficient to prevent any substantial conversion of nitrogen oxides to N2O3.

Abstract: A process for the production of propylene, the process including: contacting ethylene and a hydrocarbon stream comprising 1-butene and 2-butene with a bifunctional isomerization-metathesis catalyst to concurrently isomerizes 1-butene to 2-butene and to form a metathesis product comprising propylene; wherein the bifunctional isomerization-metathesis catalyst comprises: a catalyst compound may include at least one element selected from tungsten, tantalum, niobium, molybdenum, nickel, palladium, osmium, iridium, rhodium, vanadium, ruthenium, and rhenium for providing metathesis activity on a support comprising at least one element from Group IA, IIA, IIB, and IIIA of the Periodic Table of the Elements; wherein an exposed surface area of the support provides both isomerization activity for the isomerization of 1-butene to 2-butene; and reactive sites for the adsorption of catalyst compound poisons.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of carbon dioxide from a gas mixture that includes pretreating a gas mixture comprising carbon dioxide, water vapor, and one or more light gases in a pretreating system to form a cooled gas mixture, fractionating the cooled gas mixture to recover a bottoms fraction comprising carbon dioxide and an overheads fraction comprising carbon dioxide and the light gases, passing the overheads fraction over a membrane selective to carbon dioxide to separate a carbon dioxide permeate from a residue gas comprising the light gases, recycling the carbon dioxide permeate to the pretreating system, and recovering at least a portion of the bottoms fraction as a purified carbon dioxide product stream is described.

Abstract: Processes are provided for the production of butadiene from C4 containing feed stocks that contain isobutene and/or isobutane in addition to n-butene(s) and/or n-butane. The processes of the present invention generally comprise feeding the feed stock to a combination butenes isomerization reaction and distillation tower for conversion of 1-butene to 2-butenes and separation from isobutene and isobutane, followed by an oxydehydrogenation unit to convert n-butenes to butadiene. The processes may also include additional isomerization and/or dehydrogenation steps for the tower overhead and bottoms streams to create additional isobutene and/or n-butenes for valued/uses, which may include additional production of butadiene. The feed to the system may comprise any mixture or separate feeding of C4 olefins and C4 paraffins, at least one of which contains isobutene and/or isobutane.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for recovery of natural gas liquids from a natural gas feed stream. The process runs at a constant pressure with no intentional reduction in pressure. An open loop mixed refrigerant is used to provide process cooling and to provide a reflux stream for the distillation column used to recover the natural gas liquids. The processes may be used to recover C3+ hydrocarbons from natural gas, or to recover C2+ hydrocarbons from natural gas.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of controlling the air to fuel ratio in a burner containing a venturi assembly. The venturi includes an air inlet, a primary fuel inlet with a converging section, a throat portion downstream from the converging section, a diverging section downstream from the throat portion, an outlet, and a secondary gas inlet disposed downstream from the converging section and upstream from the outlet. The method comprises introducing fuel into the fuel inlet, receiving air through the air inlet by inspiration, and feeding a gas through the secondary gas inlet, the flow rate and content of the gas fed through the secondary gas inlet being selected to result in a desired air to fuel ratio through the outlet. A method of firing a heater, a burner, a furnace and firing control systems also are disclosed.

Abstract: A process for conversion of methanol to olefins (MTO), including: contacting methanol and air in a methanol-to-olefins reactor; recovering an effluent from the methanol-to-olefins reactor comprising methanol, ethylene, and nitrogen oxides; separating the effluent via one or more reactive distillation and/or distillation stages using a hydrocarbon absorbent to recover a first fraction comprising ethylene and a second fraction comprising methane; wherein the separating comprises operating the one or more extractive distillation and/or distillation stages at temperatures and pressures sufficient to prevent any substantial conversion of nitrogen oxides to N2O3.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the production of C2 to C3 olefins via the catalytic cracking of feedstocks including C4 and heavier olefins in an integrated reaction/regeneration system.

Abstract: A pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system using two or more valves for controlling the flow of gases entering or exiting a bed of adsorbents is disclosed, where the two or more valves are opened sequentially (i.e., in at least two actions separated by a delay in time). The sequential opening of the valves may increase the degree to which adsorbed species are purged from the bed, and also facilitates more rapid execution of certain time steps of the PSA cycle, thus increasing adsorbent productivity The sequential opening of the valves may also allow for verification of valve operation by measuring either the absolute value, the slope (derivative) or the rate of change of derivative of the pressure, either in the adsorbent bed, in the downstream manifold, or in a volume of gas held in a buffer vessel.

Abstract: A delayed coking heater for heating a feedstock to delayed coking temperature is disclosed. The delayed coking heater may include: a heater including a radiant heating zone comprising a lower portion including a hearth burner section and an upper portion including a wall burner section, the hearth burner section comprising a plurality of hearth burners located adjacent to the bottom hearth for firing in the radiant heating zone; and the wall burner section comprising a plurality of wall burners located adjacent to opposing walls; and a multiple parallel serpentine heating coil located in the radiant heating zone.

Abstract: A process for dehydrogenation of alkylaromatic hydrocarbon, including: contacting a reactant vapor stream, comprising an alkylaromatic hydrocarbon and steam and having a first steam to alkylaromatic hydrocarbon ratio, with a dehydrogenation catalyst to form a vapor phase effluent comprising a product hydrocarbon, the steam, and unreacted alkylaromatic hydrocarbon; feeding at least a portion of the effluent to a splitter to separate the product hydrocarbon from the unreacted alkylaromatic hydrocarbon; recovered from the splitter as bottoms and overheads fractions, respectively; recovering heat from a first portion of said overheads fraction by indirect heat exchange with a mixture comprising alkylaromatic hydrocarbon and water to at least partially condense said portion and to form an azeotropic vaporization product comprising alkylaromatic vapor and steam having a second steam to alkylaromatic hydrocarbon ratio; and combining the azeotropic vaporization product with additional alkylaromatic hydrocarbon and ad

Abstract: An improved process for the production of olefins, and in particular for separation of olefins produced by a dehydrogenation process from paraffin feed stocks, is provided. A high pressure product splitter is used to separate olefins produced in a dehydrogenation plant from residual paraffin feed stocks. The use of a high pressure splitter to separate olefin products from paraffin feed stocks allows for recovery of a high purity olefin product with lower energy consumption compared to prior art processes. The process is particularly suited to separation of propylene from propane.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the production of C2 to C3 olefins via the catalytic cracking of feedstocks including C4 and heavier olefins in an integrated reaction/regeneration system.