Abstract: The invention provides a method for pretreating a hydrocarbon steam cracker feed, comprising contacting the feed with a solvent to produce a pretreated feed having a reduced content of fouling components that cause fouling in the preheat, convection and radiant sections of the steam cracker and a rich solvent having an increased content of fouling components. The invention further provides a method for steam cracking hydrocarbons comprising: a) feeding a hydrocarbon steam cracker feed to the process; b) pretreating the feed by contacting the feed with a solvent to produce a pretreated feed having a reduced content of fouling components that cause fouling in the steam cracker and a rich solvent having an increased content of fouling components; c) heating the pretreated feed; and d) passing the pretreated feed through a steam cracker under cracking conditions to produce cracked products.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the recovery of aliphatic hydrocarbons from a liquid hydrocarbon feedstock stream, which comprises aliphatic hydrocarbons and additionally comprises aromatic hydrocarbons and/or polar components, said process comprising the steps of: feeding the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock stream to a first column; feeding a first solvent stream which comprises an organic solvent to the first column at a position which is higher than the position at which the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock stream is fed; contacting at least a portion of the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock stream with at least a portion of the first solvent stream; and recovering at least a portion of the aliphatic hydrocarbons by liquid-liquid extraction of aromatic hydrocarbons and/or polar components with organic solvent, resulting in a stream comprising recovered aliphatic hydrocarbons and optionally organic solvent and a bottom stream from the first column comprising organic solvent and aromatic hydrocarbons and/or polar

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the recovery of aliphatic hydrocarbons from a liquid stream comprising aliphatic hydrocarbons, heteroatom containing organic compounds and optionally aromatic hydrocarbons, involving a) liquid-liquid extraction of said liquid stream with an extraction solvent, wherein before and/or after step a) heteroatom containing organic compounds, optional aromatic hydrocarbons and optional other contaminants are removed from said liquid stream and/or from a raffinate stream resulting from step a), respectively, by contacting the latter stream(s) with a sorption agent. Further, the invention relates to a process for the recovery of aliphatic hydrocarbons from plastics comprising the above-mentioned process; and to a process for steam cracking a hydrocarbon feed comprising aliphatic hydrocarbons as recovered in one of the above-mentioned processes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the recovery of aliphatic hydrocarbons from a liquid stream comprising aliphatic hydrocarbons, heteroatom containing organic compounds and optionally aromatic hydrocarbons, involving a) liquid-liquid extraction of said liquid stream with an extraction solvent; b) mixing the extract stream, comprising extraction solvent, heteroatom containing organic compounds and optionally aromatic hydrocarbons, with a demixing solvent to remove part of the heteroatom containing organic compounds and optional aromatic hydrocarbons; and c) separation of the remaining stream into a demixing solvent stream and an extraction solvent stream, wherein before and/or after step c) additional heteroatom containing organic compounds and optional aromatic hydrocarbons are removed from that remaining stream and/or from a stream resulting from step c), respectively, by contacting the latter stream (s) with a sorption agent.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the recovery of aliphatic hydrocarbons from a liquid hydrocarbon feedstock stream comprising aliphatic hydrocarbons, heteroatom containing polar components and optionally aromatic hydrocarbons, said process comprising the steps of: a) mixing the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock stream with a solvent resulting in a liquid mixture; b) cooling the liquid mixture obtained in step a) to a temperature in the range of from +5° C. to ?30° C. to obtain wax crystals in the mixture; c) separating wax crystals from the cooled liquid mixture obtained in step b) to produce a wax comprising aliphatic hydrocarbons and a dewaxed liquid mixture comprising solvent, heteroatom containing polar components and optionally aromatic hydrocarbons; d) separating solvent from the liquid mixture obtained in step c) and optionally recycling the separated solvent to step a).

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the recovery of aliphatic hydrocarbons from a liquid hydrocarbon feedstock stream, which comprises aliphatic hydrocarbons and additionally comprises aromatic hydrocarbons and/or polar components, said process comprising the steps of: feeding the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock stream to a first column; feeding a first solvent stream which comprises an organic solvent to the first column at a position which is higher than the position at which the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock stream is fed; contacting at least a portion of the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock stream with at least a portion of the first solvent stream; and recovering at least a portion of the aliphatic hydrocarbons by liquid-liquid extraction of aromatic hydrocarbons and/or polar components with organic solvent, resulting in a stream comprising recovered aliphatic hydrocarbons and optionally organic solvent and a bottom stream from the first column comprising organic solvent and aromatic hydrocarbons and/or polar

Abstract: The invention provides a method for pretreating a hydrocarbon steam cracker feed, comprising contacting the feed with a solvent to produce a pretreated feed having a reduced content of fouling components that cause fouling in the preheat, convection and radiant sections of the steam cracker and a rich solvent having an increased content of fouling components. The invention further provides a method for steam cracking hydrocarbons comprising: a) feeding a hydrocarbon steam cracker feed to the process; b) pretreating the feed by contacting the feed with a solvent to produce a pretreated feed having a reduced content of fouling components that cause fouling in the steam cracker and a rich solvent having an increased content of fouling components; c) heating the pretreated feed; and d) passing the pretreated feed through a steam cracker under cracking conditions to produce cracked products.

Abstract: A process for the production of an alkylene glycol comprising: a feed mixture containing a respective alkylene oxide and water is introduced to at least one inlet of a reactor containing a fixed bed of a solid catalyst based on an anion exchange resin, and a reactor output mixture containing an alkylene glycol and unreacted feed mixture is removed from at least one outlet of the reactor, a characterised in that at least a part of the reactor output mixture is recycled to at least one inlet of the same reactor.

Abstract: A process for the production of an alkylene glycol comprising:

Abstract: Process for the preparation of alkylene oxide, which process comprises passing a feed comprising an organic hydroperoxide and alkene through a bank of at least two serially connected reactors all containing a bed of heterogeneous epoxidation catalyst particles and operated in a cyclic mode, in which process: (a) the first reactor of the cyclically operated bank is put in a position further down this bank, when the activity of the epoxidation catalyst contained therein has decreased to an undesirably low level; (b) in this position the catalyst with decreased activity is contacted with the effluent from the reactor in the preceding position at a temperature which is at least 5° C. higher than the final temperature at which the catalyst was in use in the first position of the bank and for sufficient time to restore its activity to the desired level.