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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Organic non-quaternary clathrate salts for petroleum separation

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6359366

A method is described for separating hydrocarbon feed streams containing mixtures of aromatic hydrocarbons and non-aromatic hydrocarbons into aromatics lean raffinate streams and aromatics rich extract streams by contacting the hydrocarbon feed streams with an organic non-quaternary clathrate salt having less than 16 carbon atoms in the cation, whereby the clathrate salt selectively interacts with the aromatic component of the hydrocarbon feed mixture producing a raffinate phase of reduced aromatic content a hydrocarbon - salt clathrate and an extract phase of increased aromatic content containing the clathrate salt and combined aromatic hydrocarbon, separating the raffinate phase from the extract phase and releasing the aromatic hydrocarbon from the clathrate salt of the extract phase to recover an aromatics rich stream and the organic non-quaternary salt which is recycled for contact with fresh hydrocarbon feed.

Assignee:
Exxon Research and Engineering Co., Florham Park, NJ (United States)
Patent Number(s):
US 5220106; A
Application Number:
PPN: US 7-858455
OSTI ID:
6359366
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English