US 12,077,616 B2
Production of polyethylene and ethylene oligomers from ethanol and the use of biomass and waste streams as feedstocks to produce the ethanol
James Hillier, Kingwood, TX (US); and Michael S. Webster-Gardiner, Humble, TX (US)
Assigned to Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP, The Woodlands, TX (US)
Filed by Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP, The Woodlands, TX (US)
Filed on Dec. 15, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/551,273.
Prior Publication US 2023/0183390 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
Int. Cl. C08F 2/34 (2006.01); C08F 4/78 (2006.01)
CPC C08F 2/34 (2013.01) [C08F 4/78 (2013.01); Y02E 50/10 (2013.01); Y02E 50/30 (2013.01); Y02P 20/143 (2015.11); Y02P 20/145 (2015.11)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A process for converting ethanol into an ethylene polymer and/or ethylene oligomers, the process comprising:
(a1) fermenting a biomass source to produce a first portion of ethanol and a biomass by-product; or
(a2) anaerobically digesting a biomass source to produce a first portion of ethanol and a biomass by-product; or
(a3) gasifying a mixture of a first oxygen-containing gasifying agent and a biomass source to form a first Syngas stream, separating CO and H2 from the first Syngas stream, and contacting the CO, H2, and a first multicomponent catalyst to form a first reaction mixture containing a first portion of ethanol;
(b) gasifying a mixture of a second oxygen-containing gasifying agent and a plastic, a mixed solid waste stream, or a combination thereof, to form a second Syngas stream, separating CO and H2 from the second Syngas stream, and contacting the CO, H2, and a second multicomponent catalyst to form a second reaction mixture containing a second portion of ethanol;
(c) contacting the first portion of the ethanol, the second portion of the ethanol, and a catalyst to produce a third reaction mixture containing ethylene;
(d) separating at least a portion of the ethylene from the third reaction mixture; and
(e1) contacting a polymerization catalyst composition with the ethylene and an optional olefin comonomer in a polymerization reactor system under polymerization conditions to produce the ethylene polymer, and/or
(e2) contacting an oligomerization catalyst composition with the ethylene in an oligomerization reactor system under oligomerization conditions to produce the ethylene oligomers.