US 11,773,336 B2
Processes and systems for upgrading alkanes and alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons
Xiaoying Bao, Houston, TX (US); and James R. Lattner, La Porte, TX (US)
Assigned to ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc., Baytown, TX (US)
Filed by ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc., Baytown, TX (US)
Filed on May 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/745,433.
Application 17/745,433 is a continuation in part of application No. PCT/US2021/026639, filed on Apr. 9, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/022,034, filed on May 8, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 20179510 (EP), filed on Jun. 11, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0275289 A1, Sep. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. C10G 29/04 (2006.01); C10G 25/00 (2006.01); C10G 31/06 (2006.01)
CPC C10G 29/04 (2013.01) [C10G 25/003 (2013.01); C10G 31/06 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multi-stage hydrocarbon upgrading process, comprising:
(I) contacting a hydrocarbon-containing feed with a first catalyst comprising a Group 8-10 element disposed on a support within a first conversion zone to effect one or more of dehydrogenation, dehydroaromatization, and dehydrocyclization of a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed to produce a first conversion zone effluent comprising one or more upgraded hydrocarbons, molecular hydrogen, and unconverted hydrocarbon-containing feed;
(II) contacting the first conversion zone effluent with a second catalyst comprising a Group 8-10 element disposed on a support within a second conversion zone to effect one or more of dehydrogenation, dehydroaromatization, and dehydrocyclization of at least a portion of the unconverted hydrocarbon-containing feed to produce a second conversion zone effluent comprising an additional quantity of one or more upgraded hydrocarbons and molecular hydrogen; wherein:
the hydrocarbon-containing feed comprises one or more of C2-C16 linear or branched alkanes, one or more of C4-C16 cyclic alkanes, one or more of C8-C16 alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons, or a mixture thereof;
the hydrocarbon-containing feed and the first catalyst are contacted for a time period in a range from 0.1 seconds to 3 hours, under a hydrocarbon partial pressure of at least 20 kPa-absolute, wherein the hydrocarbon partial pressure is the total partial pressure of any C2-C16 alkanes and any C8-C16 alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon-containing feed;
the first conversion zone effluent and the second catalyst are contacted for a time period in a range from 0.1 seconds to 3 hours, under a hydrocarbon partial pressure of at least 20 kPa-absolute, wherein the hydrocarbon partial pressure is the total partial pressure of any C2-C16 alkanes and any C8-C16 alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons in the first conversion zone effluent;
the first conversion zone effluent has a temperature in a range from 300° C. to 850° C.;
the second conversion zone effluent has a temperature in a range from 350° C. to 900° C.;
the temperature of the second conversion zone effluent is greater than the temperature of the first conversion zone effluent;
the first catalyst and the second catalyst have the same composition or a different composition;
the first catalyst and the second catalyst each comprise from 0.001 wt % to 6 wt % of the Group 8-10 element based on the weight of the support;
the one or more upgraded hydrocarbons comprise a dehydrogenated hydrocarbon, a dehydroaromatized hydrocarbon, a dehydrocyclized hydrocarbon, or a mixture thereof; and
at least one of the following is met:
(a) in step (I), the hydrocarbon-containing feed and the first catalyst are contacted in the presence of steam at an amount from 0.1 vol % to 50 vol %, based on a total volume of any C2-C16 alkanes, any C4-C16 cyclic alkanes, and any C8-C16 alkyl aromatics in the hydrocarbon-containing feed; and
(b) in step (II), the first conversion zone effluent and the second catalyst are contacted in the presence of steam at an amount from 0.1 vol % to 50 vol %, based on a total volume of any C2-C16 alkanes, any C4-C16 cyclic alkanes, and any C8-C16 alkyl aromatics in the first conversion zone effluent.