US 11,851,518 B2
Separations system for recovering hydrocarbons from synthesis of polyethylene polymers
Mark W. Blood, S. Charleston, WV (US); and Brent J. Sherman, Lake Jackson, TX (US)
Assigned to Dow Global Technologies LLC, Midland, MI (US)
Appl. No. 16/973,075
Filed by Dow Global Technologies LLC, Midland, MI (US)
PCT Filed Jun. 12, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/036703
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 8, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/241341, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 19, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/685,403, filed on Jun. 15, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0246234 A1, Aug. 12, 2021
Int. Cl. C07C 7/00 (2006.01); B01D 3/14 (2006.01); B01D 3/32 (2006.01); C08F 6/00 (2006.01); B01J 19/24 (2006.01); C07C 7/04 (2006.01); C07C 7/09 (2006.01)
CPC C08F 6/005 (2013.01) [B01D 3/148 (2013.01); B01D 3/322 (2013.01); B01J 19/24 (2013.01); C07C 7/005 (2013.01); C07C 7/04 (2013.01); C07C 7/09 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A separations system for separating ethylene, 2-methylbutane and at least one unsubstituted (C6-C12) hydrocarbon in a multi-component condensate mixture having 2-methylbutane, ethylene, fines and at least one unsubstituted (C6-C12) hydrocarbon, the separations system comprising:
a feed conduit in fluid communication with a source of the multi-component condensate mixture;
a stripper column in fluid communication with the feed conduit, the stripper column having a top portion, a bottom portion distal from the top portion and three to ten theoretical stages, the stripper column configured to receive through the feed conduit the multi-component condensate mixture at a temperature in a range of −13 degrees Celsius (° C.) to −5° C. and a pressure of 340 kilopascals gauge (kPag) to 420 kPag, wherein the stripper column is further configured for operating at an internal pressure of 200 kPa to 1500 kPa to separate the multi-component condensate mixture into:
a heavies component mixture with the at least one unsubstituted (C6-C12) hydrocarbon, and
a top mixture having a medium component(s) and a light component(s), wherein the medium component(s) include at least the 2-methylbutane and the light component(s) include at least the ethylene, wherein the top portion of the stripper column is configured to remove the top mixture and the bottom portion of the stripper column is configured to remove the heavies component mixture;
a reboiler in fluid communication with the stripper column, the reboiler configured for operating at a temperature of 50° C. to 200° C.;
a condenser in fluid communication with the top portion of the stripper column, wherein the condenser is configured to cool the top mixture coming from the top portion of the stripper column to a temperature of −19° C. to 42° C.; and
a flash drum having a top portion and a bottom portion distal from the top portion, wherein the flash drum is in fluid communication with the condenser to receive the top mixture having been cooled from the condenser, the flash drum configured for operating at a temperature of 15° C. to 70° C. and a pressure of 240 kPa to 405 kPa to separate the top mixture into the medium component(s) and the light component(s), wherein the top portion of the flash drum is configured to remove the light component(s) of the top mixture and wherein the bottom portion of the flash drum is configured to remove the medium component(s) of the top mixture, with the proviso that there is no distillation column disposed between the source of the multi-component condensate mixture and the flash drum.