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Catalytic reactive separation system for energy-efficient production of cumene

Patent ·
OSTI ID:968335

The present invention relates to an atmospheric pressure, reactive separation column packed with a solid acid zeolite catalyst for producing cumene from the reaction of benzene with propylene. Use of this un-pressurized column, where simultaneous reaction and partial separation occur during cumene production, allow separation of un-reacted, excess benzene from other products as they form. This high-yielding, energy-efficient system allows for one-step processing of cumene, with reduced need for product purification. Reacting propylene and benzene in the presence of beta zeolite catalysts generated a selectivity greater than 85% for catalytic separation reactions at a reaction temperature of 115 degrees C and at ambient pressure. Simultaneously, up to 76% of un-reacted benzene was separated from the product; which could be recycled back to the reactor for re-use.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM
Sponsoring Organization:
United States Department of Energy
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
Assignee:
Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
Patent Number(s):
7,566,429
Application Number:
11/152,997
OSTI ID:
968335
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (10)

Alkylation of Benzene with Short-Chain Olefins over MCM-22 Zeolite: Catalytic Behaviour and Kinetic Mechanism journal May 2000
Study on a catalytic distillation column with a novel internal journal November 2002
Reactive distillation: Non-ideal flow behaviour of the liquid phase in structured catalytic packings journal May 2002
Study on alkylation of benzene with ethylene over β-zeolite catalyst to ethylbenzene by in situ IR journal February 2002
Multifunctional reactors journal June 1992
Acetalization of ethylene glycol with formaldehyde using cation-exchange resins as catalysts: batch versus reactive distillation journal September 1997
Alkylation of benzene by propene on a series of Beta zeolites: toward a better understanding of the mechanisms journal March 2000
A New, Improved, Solid-Acid Catalyzed Process for Generating Linear Alkylbenzenes (LABs) journal August 2001
Reactive distillation — industrial applications, process design & scale-up journal January 2001
Scale-up of reactive distillation columns with catalytic packings journal March 2004

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