Abstract: An apparatus for producing butadiene by way of oxidative dehydrogenation of a butene-rich feed stream includes: (a) a reactor adapted for receiving said butene-rich feed stream and converting butenes to butadiene, thereby providing a butadiene enriched product effluent stream; (b) a superheater coupled to the reactor to receive the butadiene enriched product effluent stream from the reactor as well as being configured to receive reactor feed, said superheater transferring sensible heat from the butadiene enriched product effluent stream to reactor feed and (c) a first feed-vaporizer coupled to the superheater to receive the butadiene enriched product effluent stream as it exits the superheater and to transfer sensible heat from the butadiene enriched product effluent stream to reactor feed. Also provided are (d) a second feed vaporizer; (e) a purification train; and (f) a thermal oxidizer.

Abstract: A method of oxidatively dehydrogenating a dehydrogenation reactant includes providing a first gaseous feed stream to a first adiabatic, catalytic reaction zone with less than a stoichiometric amount of oxygen and superheated steam, oxidatively dehydrogenating dehydrogenation reactant in said first adiabatic, catalytic reaction zone and subsequently cooling the effluent, adding additional oxygen and reacting the effluent stream in at least one subsequent adiabatic reaction zone. The dehydrogenation system enables higher conversion and yield per pass and in some cases greatly reduces steam usage and energy costs. In a preferred integrated process, ethylene is converted to n-butene which is then oxidatively dehydrogenated to butadiene.

Abstract: Butadiene is made from a butene rich feed by passing a superheated butene rich feed including superheated steam and oxygen at a temperature of at least about 343° C. (650° F.) over a catalyst bed having a depth of over about 69 cm (27 inches) of granules of ferritic oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst. Inlet conditions being controlled such that the oxidative dehydrogenation reactions initially occur in the lower most layers of catalyst. Process control includes monitoring the temperature throughout the bed and increasing the inlet temperature in response to a drop in the temperature in the active layer, when the active layer of oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst begins to become deactivated so that the reaction zone moves upwardly in the oxidative dehydrogenation bed.

Abstract: Oxidative dehydrogenation includes: (a) providing a gaseous feed stream to a catalytic reactor, the feed stream comprising a dehydrogenation reactant, oxygen, superheated steam, hydrocarbon moderator gas and optionally nitrogen, wherein the molar ratio of moderator gas to oxygen in feed stream is typically from 4:1 to 1:1 and the molar ratio of oxygen to nitrogen in the feed stream is at least 2; (b) oxidatively dehydrogenating the reactant in the reactor to provide a dehydrogenated product enriched effluent product stream; and (c) recovering dehydrogenated product from the effluent product stream. One preferred embodiment is a process for making butadiene including dimerizing ethylene to n-butene in a homogeneous reaction medium to provide a hydrocarbonaceous n-butene rich feed stream and oxidatively dehydrogenating the n-butene so formed.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing butadiene by way of oxidative dehydrogenation of a butane-rich feed stream includes: (a) a reactor adapted for receiving said butane-rich feed stream and converting butenes to butadiene by oxidative dehydrogenation, thereby providing a butadiene enriched product effluent stream which exits the reactor at an elevated temperature; (b) a superheater coupled to the reactor to receive the butadiene enriched product effluent stream from the reactor at elevated temperature as well as being configured to receive reactor feed, said superheater being adapted to transfer sensible heat from the butadiene enriched product effluent stream to reactor feed and provide superheated feed to the reactor and (c) a first feed vaporizer coupled to the superheater to receive the butadiene enriched product effluent stream as it exits the superheater and to transfer sensible heat from the butadiene enriched product effluent stream to reactor feed.

Abstract: Butadiene is formed by dehydrogenation of butenes which are mixed with steam and oxygen then converted to butadiene by oxidative dehydrogenation over a ferritic oxide catalyst, wherein the sensible heat in the oxidative dehydrogenation reaction product is utilized along with heat produced by thermal oxidation of low value volatile products formed to reduce energy requirements and CO2 emissions. Sensible heat is utilized at high temperature for purposes of superheating feed and at somewhat lower temperatures for purposes of vaporizing feed at sequential locations in the process.

Abstract: A method of oxidatively dehydrogenating a dehydrogenation reactant includes providing a first gaseous feed stream to a first adiabatic, catalytic reaction zone with less than a stoichiometric amount of oxygen and superheated steam, oxidatively dehydrogenating dehydrogenation reactant in said first adiabatic, catalytic reaction zone and subsequently cooling the effluent, adding additional oxygen and reacting the effluent stream in at least one subsequent adiabatic reaction zone. The deydrogenation system enables higher conversion and yield per pass and in some cases greatly reduces steam usage and energy costs. In a preferred integrated process, ethylene is converted to n-butene which is then oxidatively dehydrogenated to butadiene.

Abstract: Oxidative dehydrogenation includes: (a) providing a gaseous feed stream to a catalytic reactor, the feed stream comprising a dehydrogenation reactant, oxygen, superheated steam, hydrocarbon moderator gas and optionally nitrogen, wherein the molar ratio of moderator gas to oxygen in feed stream is typically from 4:1 to 1:1 and the molar ratio of oxygen to nitrogen in the feed stream is at least 2; (b) oxidatively dehydrogenating the reactant in the reactor to provide a dehydrogenated product enriched effluent product stream; and (c) recovering dehydrogenated product from the effluent product stream. One preferred embodiment is a process for making butadiene including dimerizing ethylene to n-butene in a homogeneous reaction medium to provide a hydrocarbonaceous n-butene rich feed stream and oxidatively dehydrogenating the n-butene so formed.

Abstract: Butadiene is formed by dehydrogenation of butenes which are mixed with steam and oxygen then converted to butadiene by oxidative dehydrogenation over a ferritic oxide catalyst, wherein the sensible heat in the oxidative dehydrogenation reaction product is utilized along with heat produced by thermal oxidation of low value volatile products formed to reduce energy requirements and CO2 emissions. Sensible heat is utilized at high temperature for purposes of superheating feed and at somewhat lower temperatures for purposes of vaporizing feed at sequential locations in the process.

Abstract: Butadiene is made from a butene rich feed, passing a superheated butene rich feed including superheated steam and oxygen at a temperature of at least about 343° C. (650° F.) over a catalyst bed having a depth of over about 69 cm (27 inches) of granules of ferritic oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst. Inlet conditions being controlled such that the oxidative dehydrogenation reactions initially occur in the lower most layers of catalyst. Process control includes monitoring the temperature throughout the bed and increasing the inlet temperature in response to a drop in the temperature in the active layer, when the active layer of oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst begins to become deactivated so that the reaction zone moves upwardly in the oxidative dehydrogenation bed.