Abstract: A catalytic cracked naphtha is desulfurized with minimum loss of olefins and octane. The naphtha is fed to a first distillation column reactor which acts as a depentanizer or dehexanizer with the lighter material containing most of the olefins and mercaptans being boiled up into a first distillation reaction zone where the mercaptans are reacted with diolefins to form sulfides which are removed in the bottoms along with any higher boiling sulfur compounds. The bottoms are subjected to hydrodesulfurization in a second distillation column reactor where the sulfur compounds are converted to H.sub.2 S and removed. The lighter fraction containing most of the olefins is thus not subjected to the more harsh hydrogenation conditions of the second reactor.

Abstract: A process for treating C.sub.3 to C.sub.12 petroleum fractions, such as a light cracked naphtha to be used as an etherification feed stock in which H.sub.2 S is removed by distillation of at least the C.sub.3 fraction and mercaptans and diolefins are removed simultaneously in a distillation column reactor using a dual catalyst bed. The mercaptans and H.sub.2 S are reacted with the diolefins in the presence of a reduced nickel catalyst to form sulfides which are higher boiling than the portion of the feed which is fractionated to an upper hydrogenation catalyst bed of palladium for hydrogenating diolefins and acetylenes. The higher boiling sulfides are removed as bottoms along with heavier materials. Any diolefins not converted to sulfides and acetylenes are selectively hydrogenated to mono-olefins in the presence of a palladium oxide catalyst in an upper bed, producing overheads, substantially free of sulfur compounds, diolefins and acetylenes.

Abstract: A distribution element is provided which may be used in packed columns to redistribute the gas and liquid flow evenly across the column. Most simply the element comprises a corrugated plate having openings only at the peaks and valleys of the corrugation. There are no openings in the sloped sides of the corrugations. The distribution element is spaced within the packing to most advantageously utilize the redistribution characteristics of the element for a given system.

Abstract: A process for treating a light cracked naphtha to be used as an etherification or alkylation feedstock in which the mercaptans and diolefins are removed simultaneously in a distillation column reactor using a Pd catalyst. The mercaptans are reacted with the diolefins to form sulfides which are higher boiling than that portion of the naphtha which is used as feed to the etherification or alkylation unit. H.sub.2 S reacts in the same manner as the mercaptans to for the sulfides and is similarly removed from streams. The higher boiling sulfides are removed as bottoms along with any C.sub.6 and heavier materials. Any diolefins not converted to sulfides are selectively hydrogenated to mono-olefins for use in the etherification process. Certain C.sub.5 olefins, for example pentene-1 and 3-methyl butene-1 are isomerized during the process to more beneficial isomers.

Abstract: Ethyl benzene is produced in a catalyst bed under 0.25 to 50 atmospheres of pressure and at temperatures in the range of 50.degree. C. to 300.degree. C., using as the catalyst a mole sieve characterized as acidic by feeding ethylene to the catalyst bed while benzene is conveniently added through the reflux to result in a molar excess present in the reactor to that required to react with ethylene, thereby reacting substantially all of the ethylene and recovering benzene as the principal overhead and ethyl benzene and diethyl benzene in the bottoms. The bottoms are fractionated, the ethyl benzene recovered and the bottoms are contacted with benzene in the liquid phase in a fixed bed straight pass reactor under conditions to transalkylate the benzene thereby converting most of the diethyl benzene to ethyl benzene which is again separated and recovered.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for removing nitrile contaminants from C.sub.5 streams. In particular, a C.sub.5 stream is washed in a countercurrent fashion with a mixture comprising 50% methanol and 50% water to extract the nitriles from the C.sub.5 hydrocarbons into the water-methanol mixture. Propionitrile removal is enhanced by the presence of the methanol in the solvent. An further embodiments include (1) a method for recovering methanol from the extract stream by hydrogenating the nitriles to form amines, converting the amines to ammonium salts by acid treatment and distilling out the methanol and (2) distilling out methanol/nitriles from the extract stream, admixing the methanol/nitriles with an alkane/alkene/ether stream then distilling the methanol out in a azeotrope with the alkane/alkenes while leaving the nitriles in the ether.

Abstract: A bale shaped catalytic distillation structure formed by placing multiple link or continuous tube shaped structures on top of a wire mesh screen, such as demister wire, arrayed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the bale, such that when the wire mesh screen is rolled up, the rolled structure provides a catalytic distillation structure. The tube comprises flexible, semi-rigid open mesh tubular element filled with a particulate catalytic material, the tube shaped structure having a fastener every 1-12 inches in length to form a multiple link.

Abstract: Aromatic compounds are alkylated in a catalytic distillation, wherein the catalyst structure also serves as a distillation component by contacting the aromatic compound with a C.sub.2 to C.sub.10 olefin in the catalyst bed under 0.25 to 50 atmospheres of pressure and at temperatures in the range of 80.degree. C. to 500.degree. C., using as the catalyst a mole sieve characterized as acidic or an acidic cation exchange resin. For example, ethyl benzene is produced by feeding ethylene below the catalyst bed while benzene is conveniently added through the reflux in molar excess to that required to react with ethylene, thereby reacting substantially all of the ethylene and recovering benzene as the principal overhead and ethyl benzene in the bottoms.

Abstract: A catalytic distillation structure comprising a tube of open mesh wire containing particulate catalyst and sealed on each end along seams at 15.degree. to 90.degree. relative to each other.

Abstract: Aromatic compounds are alkylated in a catalytic distillation, wherein the catalyst structure also serves as a distillation component by contacting the aromatic compound with a C.sub.2 to C.sub.10 olefin in the catalyst bed under 0.25 to 50 atmospheres of pressure and at temperatures in the range of 80.degree. C. to 500.degree. C., using as the catalyst a mole sieve characterized as acidic or an acidic cation exchange resin. For example, ethyl benzene is produced by feeding ethylene to about the mid point of the catalyst bed while benzene is conveniently added through the reflux in molar excess to that required to react with ethylene, thereby reacting substantially all of the ethylene and recovering benzene as the principal overhead and ethyl benzene in the bottoms.

Abstract: A liquid phase process for oligomerization of C.sub.4 and C.sub.5 isoolefins or the etherification thereof with C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alcohols wherein the reactants are contacted in a reactor with a fixed bed acid cation exchange resin catalyst at an LHSV of 5 to 20, pressure of 0 to 400 psig and temperature of 120.degree. to 300.degree. F. Wherein the improvement is the operation of the reactor at a pressure to maintain the reaction mixture at its boiling point whereby at least a portion but less than all of the reaction mixture is vaporized. By operating at the boiling point and allowing a portion of the reaction mixture to vaporize, the exothermic heat of reaction is dissipated by the formation of more boil up and the temperature in the reactor is controlled.

Abstract: Aromatic compounds are alkylated in a combination reactor/distillation column comprising a vessel suitable for operating between 70.degree. C. and 500.degree. C. and from 0.5 to 20 atmospheres pressure; an inert distillation packing in the lower one-third of said vessel; solid acidic catalytic material such as zeolites or an acidic cation exchange resin supported in the middle one-third of said vessel; and inert distillation packing in the upper one-third of said vessel. A benzene inlet is located near the upper end of the vessel; an olefin inlet is juxtaposed with said solid acidic catalytic material; a bottoms outlet is positioned near the bottom of said vessel for removing said cumene and ethyl benzene; and an overhead outlet is placed at the top of said vessel for removing any unreacted benzene and olefin.

Abstract: A liquid phase process for oligomerization of C.sub.4 and C.sub.5 isoolefins or the etherification thereof with C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alcohols wherein the reactants are contacted in a reactor with a fixed bed acid cation exchange resin catalyst at an LHSV of 5 to 20, pressure of 0 to 400 psig and temperature of 120.degree. to 300.degree. F. wherein the improvement is the operation of the reactor at a pressure to maintain the reaction mixture at its boiling point whereby at least a portion but less than all of the reaction mixture is vaporized. By operating at the boiling point and allowing a portion of the reaction mixture to vaporize, the exothermic heat of reaction is dissipated by the formation of more boil up and the temperature in the reactor is controlled.

Abstract: A process for removing dimethyl ether (DME) and methanol impurities from C.sub.4 hydrocarbon stream without substantial loss of C.sub.4 hydrocarbons by fractionating a C.sub.4 hydrocarbon stream containing DME and methanol at low levels, e.g., less than 5 wt. % to produce an overhead of about 20 to 40 volume % of the C.sub.4 stream, condensing the overhead, contacting the condensed overhead with about 1 to 5 volumes of water, thereby removing a portion of the DME and methanol from the C.sub.4 stream, returning substantially all of the C.sub.4 stream, except the small amount solubilized in the water, to the fractionation and flashing the solubilized DME and hydrocarbons from the water. The fractionation and extraction are preferably carried out at elevated pressures, e.g., 200 to 300 psig to avoid refrigeration of the overhead condensation. The flashing of the DME and hydrocarbons is carried out by reducing the pressure on the water, e.g. atmospheric pressure at a temperature in the range of 20.degree. C.

Abstract: Cumene is produced in a catalyst bed under 0.25 to 50 atmospheres of pressure and at temperatures in the range of 50.degree. C. to 500.degree. C., using as the catalyst a mole sieve characterized as acidic by feeding propylene to the catalyst bed while benzene is conveniently added through the reflux to result in a molar excess present in the reactor to that required to react with propylene, thereby reacting substantially all of the propylene and recovering benzene as the principal overhead and cumene and diisopropyl benzene in the bottoms. The bottoms are fractionated, the cumene recovered and the bottoms are contacted with benzene in the liquid phase in a fixed bed straight pass reactor under conditions to transalkylate the benzene thereby converting most of the diisopropyl benzene to cumene which is again separated and recovered.

Abstract: A liquid phase process for oligomerization of C.sub.4 and C.sub.5 isoolefins or the etherification thereof with C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alcohols wherein the reactants are contacted in a reactor with a fixed bed acid cation exchange resin catalyst at an LHSV of 5 to 20, pressure of 0 to 400 psig and temperature of 120 to 300.degree. F. wherein the improvement is the operation of the reactor at a pressure to maintain the reaction mixture at its boiling point whereby at least a portion but less than all of the reaction mixture is vaporized. By operating at the boiling point and allowing a portion of the reaction mixture to vaporize, the exothermic heat of reaction is dissipated by the formation of more boil up and the temperature in the reactor is controlled.

Abstract: A liquid phase process for oligomerization of C.sub.4 and C.sub.5 isoolefins or the etherification thereof with C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alcohols wherein the reactants are contacted in a reactor with a fixed bed acid cation exchange resin catalyst at an LHSV of 5 to 20, pressure of 0 to 400 psig and temperature of 120.degree. to 300.degree. F. wherein the improvement is the operation of the reactor at a pressure to maintain the reaction mixture at its boiling point whereby at least a portion but less than all of the reaction mixture is vaporized. By operating at the boiling point and allowing a portion of the reaction mixture to vaporize, the exothermic heat of reaction is dissipated by the formation of more boil up and the temperature in the reactor is controlled.

Abstract: Cumene is produced in a catalytic distillation column reactor having an upper bed of Omega type molecular sieve catalyst and a lower bed of Y type molecular sieve catalyst. Benzene and propylene are reacted in the upper bed where the Omega type sieve is more selective to cumene that the Y type sieve. Part of the reaction mixture flows down the column to the Y bed where benzene reacts with any unreacted propylene to produce cumene. Additionally, benzene reacts with dipropylbenzene in the Y bed to produce more cumene. Cumene is recovered as bottoms product and unreacted benzene recovered as overheads where it may be returned as reflux to the column to control the mole ratio of benzene to propylene.

Abstract: A portion of the best of vaporization, required to separate and recover methanol from wash water used to remove methanol from a C.sub.4 raffinate resulting from the reaction of isobutene containing C.sub.4 hydrocarbons and methanol to produce MTBE is recovered by conducting the distillation of the methanol/water mixture at a pressure of 40 to 60 psig, thereby increasing the temerature of the methanol overhead to 104.degree. to 114.degree. C. and using the reaction effluent from the MTBE reactor to cool and condense the methanol overhead, said reactor effluent being correspondingly heated prior to entry into a debutanizer tower where unreacted C.sub.4 's and methanol are removed as a raffinate and MTBE product recovered. It is this raffinate that is washed with water to recover the unreacted methanol, with the methanol/water mixture being distilled as set forth above.

Abstract: Transetherification is carried out in a catalytic distillation reactor, wherein the catalytic structure also serves as a distillation structure, by feeding a first ether to the catalyst bed to at least partially dissociate it into a first olefin and a first alcohol while concurrently therewith feeding either a second olefin (preferably a tertiary olefin) having a higher boiling point than said first olefin or a second alcohol having a higher boiling point than said first alcohol to the catalyst whereby either the second olefin and the first alcohol or the first olefin and the second alcohol react to form a second ether which has a higher boiling point than the first ether, which second ether is concurrently removed as a bottoms in the concurrent reaction-distillation to force that reaction to completion, while the unreacted first olefin or first alcohol is removed in the overhead.