Abstract: A process for producing high octane alkylate is provided. The process involves reacting isobutane and ethylene using an ionic liquid catalyst. Reaction conditions can be chosen to assist in attaining, or to optimize, desirable alkylate yields and/or properties.

Abstract: A phase separation assembly includes a stand pipe configured to be located at a bottom of a distillation column, the stand pipe for directing a liquid phase of a hydrocarbon fluid through a bottom outlet to a heating assembly; a return conduit configured to direct heated hydrocarbon fluid from the heating assembly into the distillation column; a ring baffle configured to be located within the distillation column above the return conduit; and a horizontal plate configured to be disposed above the stand pipe. The ring baffle directs the heated hydrocarbon fluid around the inner circumferential wall of the distillation column so that vapor and liquid phases can separate. Weir features on the ring baffle can facilitate separation of vapor and liquid flows of the hydrocarbon.

Abstract: A phase separation assembly includes a stand pipe configured to be located at a bottom of a distillation column, the stand pipe for directing a liquid phase of a hydrocarbon fluid through a bottom outlet to a heating assembly; a return conduit configured to direct heated hydrocarbon fluid from the heating assembly into the distillation column; a ring baffle configured to be located within the distillation column above the return conduit; and a horizontal plate configured to be disposed above the stand pipe. The ring baffle directs the heated hydrocarbon fluid around the inner circumferential wall of the distillation column so that vapor and liquid phases can separate. Weir features on the ring baffle can facilitate separation of vapor and liquid flows of the hydrocarbon.

Abstract: The present disclosure refers to systems and methods for efficiently converting a C1-C3 alkane such as natural gas to a liquid C2-C10 product and hydrogen. Generally, the process comprises flowing the C1-C3 alkane through a plurality of tubes within a vessel wherein the tubes house a catalyst for converting the C1-C3 alkane to the liquid C2-C10 product and hydrogen. The C1-C3 alkane is heated under suitable conditions to produce the liquid C2-C10 product and hydrogen. Advantageously, the C1-C3 alkane is heated by burning a fuel outside the tubes in fuel burning nozzles configured to transfer heat from the burning through the tubes.

Abstract: A process for removing heavy polycyclic aromatic contaminants from a hydrocarbon stream using a quinolinium ionic liquid is described. The process includes contacting the hydrocarbon stream comprising the contaminant with a hydrocarbon-immiscible quinolinium ionic liquid to produce a mixture comprising the hydrocarbon and a hydrocarbon-immiscible quinolinium ionic liquid comprising at least a portion of the removed contaminant; and separating the mixture to produce a hydrocarbon effluent having a reduced level of the contaminant and a hydrocarbon-immiscible quinolinium ionic liquid effluent comprising the hydrocarbon-immiscible quinolinium ionic liquid comprising at least the portion of the removed contaminant.

Abstract: The present disclosure refers to systems and methods for efficiently converting a C1-C3 alkane such as natural gas to a liquid C2-C10 product and hydrogen. Generally, the process comprises flowing the C1-C3 alkane through a plurality of tubes within a vessel wherein the tubes house a catalyst for converting the C1-C3 alkane to the liquid C2-C10 product and hydrogen. The C1-C3 alkane is heated under suitable conditions to produce the liquid C2-C10 product and hydrogen. Advantageously, the C1-C3 alkane is heated by burning a fuel outside the tubes in fuel burning nozzles configured to transfer heat from the burning through the tubes.

Abstract: The present disclosure refers to systems and methods for efficiently converting a C1-C3 alkane such as natural gas to a liquid C2-C10 product and hydrogen. Generally, the process comprises flowing the C1-C3 alkane through a plurality of tubes within a vessel wherein the tubes house a catalyst for converting the C1-C3 alkane to the liquid C2-C10 product and hydrogen. The C1-C3 alkane is heated under suitable conditions to produce the liquid C2-C10 product and hydrogen. Advantageously, the C1-C3 alkane is heated by burning a fuel outside the tubes in fuel burning nozzles configured to transfer heat from the burning through the tubes.

Abstract: The present disclosure refers to systems, methods, and catalysts for conversion of a hydrocarbon to hydrogen. The catalyst typically comprises a matrix comprising fused silica, quartz, glass, a zeolite, Si3N4, SiC, SiCxOy wherein 4x+2y =4, SiOaNb wherein 2a+3b =4, BN, TiO2, ZrO2, Al2O3, CeO2, Nb2O5, La2O3, a perovskite, or any mixture thereof. A metal dopant is embedded in the matrix. The metal dopant comprises Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Mn, or any mixture thereof.

Abstract: The present disclosure refers to systems and methods for producing hydrogen among other products. In some embodiments the methods comprise sequentially conducting a cracking step in a fixed bed mode and conducting a flowing step in a fluidized bed mode. Such sequential processes may result in a number of advantages including, for example, regenerating the catalyst during the fluidized bed mode in a manner such that beneficial heat is generated for use in the endothermic cracking step.

Abstract: Processes for the direct alkylation of ethylene with isobutane or isopentane using a highly active ionic liquid alkylation catalyst are described. Ethylene is sent to a high-temperature alkylation reactor loop, and C3, C4, and C5 olefins are routed to a low temperature alkylation reactor loop. In each reactor, the olefins are contacted with an excess of isobutane or isopentane in the presence of a highly active ionic liquid catalyst. Portions of the reactor effluent streams are fed to a common downstream catalyst separation and product fractionation sections. The remainder of the reactor effluent is recycled back to the respective alkylation reactor.

Abstract: A process for removing heavy polycyclic aromatic contaminants from a hydrocarbon stream using a quinolinium ionic liquid is described. The process includes contacting the hydrocarbon stream comprising the contaminant with a hydrocarbon-immiscible quinolinium ionic liquid to produce a mixture comprising the hydrocarbon and a hydrocarbon-immiscible quinolinium ionic liquid comprising at least a portion of the removed contaminant; and separating the mixture to produce a hydrocarbon effluent having a reduced level of the contaminant and a hydrocarbon-immiscible quinolinium ionic liquid effluent comprising the hydrocarbon-immiscible quinolinium ionic liquid comprising at least the portion of the removed contaminant.

Abstract: Processes for the direct alkylation of ethylene with isobutane or isopentane using a highly active ionic liquid alkylation catalyst are described. Ethylene is sent to a high-temperature alkylation reactor loop, and C3, C4, and C5 olefins are routed to a low temperature alkylation reactor loop. In each reactor, the olefins are contacted with an excess of isobutane or isopentane in the presence of a highly active ionic liquid catalyst. Portions of the reactor effluent streams are fed to a common downstream catalyst separation and product fractionation sections. The remainder of the reactor effluent is recycled back to the respective alkylation reactor.

Abstract: A process for producing high octane alkylate is provided. The process involves reacting isobutane and ethylene using an ionic liquid catalyst. Reaction conditions can be chosen to assist in attaining, or to optimize, desirable alkylate yields and/or properties.

Abstract: An alkylation process is described. The process involves alkylation of isobutane and ethylene in a loop reactor using an ionic liquid catalyst as a continuous phase. The alkylate typically has a research octane number of at least about 93, and the olefin conversion is typically at least about 95%.

Abstract: A method is provided for predicting conjunct polymer concentration in spent ionic liquid during a continuous hydrocarbon conversion process.

Abstract: A method is provided for predicting conjunct polymer concentration in spent ionic liquid during a continuous hydrocarbon conversion process.

Abstract: We provide a process for regenerating a spent acidic ionic liquid, comprising contacting the spent acidic ionic liquid with hydrogen and without an addition of a hydrogenation catalyst; wherein a conjunct polymer content is decreased in the spent acidic ionic liquid to produce regenerated acidic ionic liquid. We also provide a process for making an alkylate gasoline blending component, comprising: a) alkylating a mixture of isoparaffins and olefins using an acidic ionic liquid and an alkyl halide or a hydrogen halide, wherein a conjunct polymer accumulates in a spent acidic ionic liquid; and b) feeding the spent acidic ionic liquid and a hydrogen, and without an addition of a hydrogenation catalyst, to a regeneration reactor operated under selected hydrogenation conditions to produce a regenerated acidic ionic liquid that is used for the alkylating, wherein the conjunct polymer in the regenerated acidic ionic liquid is decreased by at least 50 wt %.

Abstract: A process is provided for removing a heavy polynuclear aromatic (HPNA) compound from a hydrocarbon oil. The process includes contacting the hydrocarbon oil containing the HPNA compound with a lean hydrocarbon-immiscible liquid stream to produce a mixture comprising the hydrocarbon oil and a rich hydrocarbon-immiscible liquid containing the HPNA compound; and separating the mixture to produce a hydrocarbon oil effluent having a reduced level of the HPNA compound and a hydrocarbon-immiscible liquid effluent containing the HPNA compound. The hydrocarbon-immiscible liquid can be a halometallate ionic liquid, a liquid coordination complex, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Processes for regenerating ionic liquid catalyst by contacting the ionic liquid catalyst with hydrogen gas in a regeneration reactor. The amount of hydrogen is less than 550 SCF/BBL (97.96 m3/m3) of spent ionic liquid catalyst, or less than 500 SCF/BBL (89.05 m3/m3) of spent ionic liquid catalyst, or between 550 and 45 SCF/BBL (97.96 and 8.015 m3/m3) of spent ionic liquid catalyst, or between 500 and 50 SCF/BBL (89.05 and 8.905 m3/m3) of spent ionic liquid catalyst. Alkylation processes are also disclosed.

Abstract: A process is provided for separating an ionic liquid from a liquid hydrocarbon, using an integrated coalescing system. The integrated coalescing system for separating ionic liquid from a liquid hydrocarbon may comprise: a. a bulk settler, that separates an emulsion comprising the dispersed ionic liquid with a wide range of droplet sizes into a clean ionic liquid phase and a separated liquid hydrocarbon phase comprising retained droplets; b. a pre-coalescer that receives the separated liquid hydrocarbon phase, separates out solid particles from the separated liquid hydrocarbon phase, and begins to form coalesced droplets of the retained droplets; and c. a coalescer that receives an effluent from the pre-coalescer, wherein the at least one coalescer comprises multiple layers of media having a fine pore size, and produces a clean hydrocarbon stream that is essentially free of the dispersed ionic liquid and additional amounts of the clean ionic liquid phase.