Abstract: An apparatus is described for the preferential conversion to 2-butene of a stream containing C4 compounds including 1-butene and 2-butene involving mixing the C4 stream with a first hydrogen stream to form a feed stream, hydroisomerizing the feed stream in the presence of a first hydroisomerization catalyst in order to convert at least a portion of the 1-butene to 2-butene, thereby producing a hydroisomerization effluent, passing the hydroisomerization effluent through a fractionation column to form a top stream comprising isobutane and isobutylene and a bottoms stream comprising 2-butene, withdrawing a recycle stream from said fractionation column at a location above the feed point at which the weight ratio of 1-butene to 2-butene is high, and combining the recycle stream with at least one of the C4 stream and the feed stream upstream from the hydroisomerization catalyst.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the preferential conversion to 2-butene of a C4 stream containing 1-butene and 2-butene. The process involves mixing the C4 stream with a first hydrogen stream to form a feed stream, hydroisomerizing the feed stream in the presence of a first hydroisomerization catalyst in order to convert at least a portion of the 1-butene to 2-butene, thereby producing a hydroisomerization effluent, separating the hydroisomerization effluent in a fractionation column having an upper end and a lower end to form a 1-butene mixture at the upper end, a top effluent stream containing isobutane and isobutylene and a bottoms stream containing 2-butene, and hydroisomerizing the 1-butene mixture at the upper end of the column using a second hydroisomerization catalyst. A corresponding apparatus also is disclosed.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the preferential conversion to 2-butene of a stream containing C4 compounds including 1-butene and 2-butene. The process involves mixing the C4 stream with a first hydrogen stream to form a feed stream, hydroisomerizing the feed stream in the presence of a first hydroisomerization catalyst in order to convert at least a portion of the 1-butene to 2-butene, thereby producing a hydroisomerization effluent, passing the hydroisomerization effluent through a fractionation column to form a top stream comprising isobutane and isobutylene and a bottoms stream comprising 2-butene, withdrawing a recycle stream from said fractionation column at a location above the feed point at which the weight ratio of 1-butene to 2-butene is high, and combining the recycle stream with at least one of the C4 stream and the feed stream upstream from the hydroisomerization catalyst. A corresponding apparatus also is disclosed.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the preferential conversion to 2-butene of a stream containing C4 compounds including 1-butene and 2-butene. The process involves mixing the C4 stream with a first hydrogen stream to form a feed stream, hydroisomerizing the feed stream in the presence of a first hydroisomerization catalyst in order to convert at least a portion of the 1-butene to 2-butene, thereby producing a hydroisomerization effluent, passing the hydroisomerization effluent through a fractionation column to form a top stream comprising isobutane and isobutylene and a bottoms stream comprising 2-butene, withdrawing a recycle stream from said fractionation column at a location above the feed point at which the weight ratio of 1-butene to 2-butene is high, and combining the recycle stream with at least one of the C4 stream and the feed stream upstream from the hydroisomerization catalyst. A corresponding apparatus also is disclosed.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are disclosed for hydroisomerizing a mixed C4 olefin stream in a catalytic distillation column in order to increase the concentration of 2-butene and minimize the concentration of 1-butene, while concurrently minimizing the production of butanes. In one embodiment, carbon monoxide is introduced into the double bond hydroisomerization reactor along with hydrogen. In another embodiment, hydrogen, and optionally also carbon monoxide, is introduced at multiple locations along the double bond hydroisomerization reactor. The invention is particularly useful in preparing C4 feed streams for metathesis reactions.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the preferential conversion to 2-butene of a stream containing C4 compounds including 1-butene and 2-butene. The process involves mixing the C4 stream with a first hydrogen stream to form a feed stream, hydroisomerizing the feed stream in the presence of a first hydroisomerization catalyst in order to convert at least a portion of the 1-butene to 2-butene, thereby producing a hydroisomerization effluent, passing the hydroisomerization effluent through a fractionation column to form a top stream comprising isobutane and isobutylene and a bottoms stream comprising 2-butene, withdrawing a recycle stream from said fractionation column at a location above the feed point at which the weight ratio of 1-butene to 2-butene is high, and combining the recycle stream with at least one of the C4 stream and the feed stream upstream from the hydroisomerization catalyst. A corresponding apparatus also is disclosed.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the preferential conversion to 2-butene of a C4 stream containing 1-butene and 2-butene. The process involves mixing the C4 stream with a first hydrogen stream to form a feed stream, hydroisomerizing the feed stream in the presence of a first hydroisomerization catalyst in order to convert at least a portion of the 1-butene to 2-butene, thereby producing a hydroisomerization effluent, separating the hydroisomerization effluent in a fractionation column having an upper end and a lower end to form a 1-butene mixture at the upper end, a top effluent stream containing isobutane and isobutylene and a bottoms stream containing 2-butene, and hydroisomerizing the 1-butene mixture at the upper end of the column using a second hydroisomerization catalyst. A corresponding apparatus also is disclosed.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are disclosed for hydroisomerizing a mixed C4 olefin stream in a fixed bed hydroisomerization reactor in order to increase the concentration of 2-butene and minimize the concentration of 1-butene, while concurrently minimizing the production of butanes. In one embodiment, carbon monoxide is introduced into the double bond hydroisomerization reactor along with hydrogen. In another embodiment, hydrogen, and optionally also carbon monoxide, are introduced at multiple locations along the length of the double bond hydroisomerization reactor. The invention is particularly useful in preparing C4 feed streams for metathesis reactions.