Abstract: Reactor systems for use with ionic liquid catalyst. The reactor systems include one or more stages, which include a reactor and a heat exchanger, and a separation zone. The reactor and the heat exchanger may have a vertical orientation. Additionally, a separation vessel may also include a vertical orientation. The heat exchanger may allow for linear flow of process fluid to control residence time.

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 removing ionic liquid from a process stream is described. The process stream is introduced into a coalescer to form an ionic liquid stream and a first treated process stream which has less ionic liquid than the process stream. The first treated process stream is introduced into a separator to form a second treated process stream. The second treated process stream has less ionic liquid than the first treated process stream. The separator is selected from a filtration zone comprising sand or carbon, an adsorption zone, a scrubbing zone, an electrostatic separation zone, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: Reactor systems for use with ionic liquid catalyst. The reactor systems include one or more stages, which include a reactor and a heat exchanger, and a separation zone. The reactor and the heat exchanger may have a vertical orientation. Additionally, a separation vessel may also include a vertical orientation. The heat exchanger may allow for linear flow of process fluid to control residence time.

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 method of controlling a hydrocarbon conversion process is described. The method involves introducing a reactant into a reaction zone containing an ionic liquid catalyst. The reaction zone has at least two zones. The mass transfer resistance in the second zone is greater than the mass transfer resistance in the first zone.

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: An ionic liquid reactor unit and a process for controlling heat generation from an ionic liquid reactor unit. The ionic liquid reactor unit may include an external heat exchanger. The effluent from the reactor is separated in a separation zone allowing the hydrocarbon phase to transfer heat to a cooling fluid. The heat exchanger may be a tube-in-shell, a spiral plate heat exchanger, a hair pin heat exchanger. The heat exchanger accommodates the separation of the ionic liquid from the hydrocarbon phase, and may allow for the ion liquid to be drained.

Abstract: A method of controlling a hydrocarbon conversion process is described. The method involves introducing a reactant into a reaction zone containing an ionic liquid catalyst. The reaction zone has at least two zones. The mass transfer resistance in the second zone is greater than the mass transfer resistance in the first zone.

Abstract: An alkylation process system uses an ionic liquid as a catalyst which undergoes an interruption in normal operating condition. A method of maintaining the alkylation process system during the interruption of the normal operating condition requires maintaining a circulation of the ionic liquid through the alkylation process system without interruption.

Abstract: Methods of recovering droplets of ionic liquid catalyst from a process stream are described. The volume fraction of ionic liquid in the hydrocarbon is increased to cause the ionic liquid droplets to coalesce. One method incorporates various combinations of gravity separation zone(s) and fractionation zones. Another method involves using a combination of a flash vessel and a fractionation zone, as well as an optional gravity separation zone.

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: Methods of recovering droplets of ionic liquid catalyst from a process stream are described. The volume fraction of ionic liquid in the hydrocarbon is increased to cause the ionic liquid droplets to coalesce. One method incorporates various combinations of gravity separation zone(s) and fractionation zones. Another method involves using a combination of a flash vessel and a fractionation zone, as well as an optional gravity separation zone.

Abstract: An ionic liquid reactor unit and a process for controlling heat generation from an ionic liquid reactor unit. The ionic liquid reactor unit may include an external heat exchanger. The effluent from the reactor is separated in a separation zone allowing the hydrocarbon phase to transfer heat to a cooling fluid. The heat exchanger may be a tube-in-shell, a spiral plate heat exchanger, a hair pin heat exchanger. The heat exchanger accommodates the separation of the ionic liquid from the hydrocarbon phase, and may allow for the ion liquid to be drained.

Abstract: A method for recovering entrained ionic liquid from an immiscible phase containing droplets of ionic liquid is described. The method includes contacting the immiscible phase containing the droplets of ionic liquid with a scrubbing ionic liquid phase in a scrubbing zone. The immiscible phase containing the droplets of ionic liquid has a first level of droplets of ionic liquid. At least a portion of the droplets of ionic liquid are transferred to the scrubbing ionic liquid phase to form a recovered ionic liquid phase comprising the scrubbing ionic liquid and the transferred portion of the droplets of ionic liquid and a second immiscible phase having a second level of droplets of ionic liquid lower than the first level. The second immiscible phase is separated from the recovered ionic liquid phase.

Abstract: A method for recovering entrained ionic liquid from an immiscible phase containing droplets of ionic liquid is described. The method includes contacting the immiscible phase containing the droplets of ionic liquid with a scrubbing ionic liquid phase in a scrubbing zone. The immiscible phase containing the droplets of ionic liquid has a first level of droplets of ionic liquid. At least a portion of the droplets of ionic liquid are transferred to the scrubbing ionic liquid phase to form a recovered ionic liquid phase comprising the scrubbing ionic liquid and the transferred portion of the droplets of ionic liquid and a second immiscible phase having a second level of droplets of ionic liquid lower than the first level. The second immiscible phase is separated from the recovered ionic liquid phase.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for removing acetone from olefin-containing hydrocarbon streams. In one embodiment, a method for removing acetone from a hydrocarbon stream includes mixing an olefin-containing hydrocarbon stream and a wash water stream to form a mixed olefin/wash water stream, wherein the olefin-containing hydrocarbon stream comprises acetone impurities, and wherein mixing comprises dissolving at least a portion of the acetone impurities in to the wash water stream, coalescing the mixed olefin/water stream to separate the wash water stream with acetone dissolved therein from the hydrocarbon stream, wherein the separated hydrocarbon stream comprises non-coalesced wash water and acetone, and drying the separated hydrocarbon stream to remove at least a portion of the non-coalesced wash water and acetone therefrom and to form a dried hydrocarbon product stream.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a process. The process can include obtaining a hydrocarbon phase having one or more hydrocarbons and an alkylation catalyst from a first vessel, swirling the hydrocarbon phase to separate the alkylation catalyst, and recycling the alkylation catalyst to an alkylation reactor.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for isomerizing a hydrocarbon stream rich in a C4 hydrocarbon and/or at least one of a C5 and C6 hydrocarbon which includes a first drier and a second drier; and a reaction zone communicating with at least the first drier. The first drier operates at a first condition to dry the reactant and the second drier operates at a second condition during regeneration. The used regenerant remaining in the second drier after regeneration can (1) pass through a vent-to-flare assembly in a batch-wise manner; (2) pass through a downflow-depressure-to-low-pressure-device assembly in a batch-wise manner; (3) pass through a cross-over piping purge assembly to minimize upsets in the reaction and fractionation zones when the second drier is placed back in operation; or any combination of (1) (2) and/or (3) to minimize upsets in the reaction and fractionation zones when the second drier is placed back in operation.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be an apparatus for isomerizing a hydrocarbon stream rich in a C4 hydrocarbon and/or at least one of a C5 and C6 hydrocarbon. The apparatus can include: a first drier and a second drier adapted to receive a fluid including at least one reactant; and a reaction zone communicating with the first drier to receive the fluid including at least one reactant and with the second drier to receive the regenerant. Generally, the first drier operates at a first condition to dry the fluid including at least one reactant and the second drier operates at a second condition during regeneration with a regenerant. The regenerant is displaced from the drier using a down-flow regenerant displacement assembly.