Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Recycle butenes to cracking

Journal Article · · Hydrocarbon Process.; (United States)
OSTI ID:7229554

Pyrolysis of neat n-butenes is frequently attractive versus alkylation or gasoline blending. Lyondell Petrochemical Co.'s plant has the flexibility to process feedstocks from ethane through heavy gas oils. Optimum processing conditions were determined via pilot plant experiments and verified using a unique sampling device on the commercial furnace. The Lyondell Petrochemical olefins complex consists of two world-scale Lummus-designed plants capable of producing 2.8 billion pounds per year of ethylene. One plant started up in 1976; the other came on line in 1977. The plants were designed to crack a range of feedstocks, from naphthas to gas oils. These feedstocks were supplied from the ARCO Houston Refinery. Over the years, ARCO has added feedstock flexibility, and the plants can now crack a range of feedstocks from ethane to gas oils. Downstream units in the Lyondell complex process the pyrolysis C/sub 4/S from the Olefins plants to recover butadiene. The raffinate from the butadiene recovery plant, known as Raffinate-I, is sent to an MTBE plant for production of MTBE from the contained isobutylene in the Raffinate-I. The butenes from the MTBE plant are known as Raffinate-II. The composition of the Raffinate-II varies depending upon the feedslate to the Olefins plants, but ''typical'' compositions are given.

Research Organization:
Lyondell Petrochemical Co., Channelview, TX
OSTI ID:
7229554
Journal Information:
Hydrocarbon Process.; (United States), Journal Name: Hydrocarbon Process.; (United States) Vol. 65:11; ISSN HYPRA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English