Phenol removal in paraxylene recovery process

摘要

The invention is directed to purification of an aromatic hydrocarbon stream including selective removal of phenol from a process stream comprising aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures, especially aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures that contain higher-than-equilibrium paraxylene, by contact with suitable adsorbents, to provide a product stream having lower concentration of phenol than said process stream.

主权项

1. A process for the purification of an aromatic hydrocarbon stream containing phenol, comprising contact of said aromatic hydrocarbon stream with an adsorbent selective for the absorption of phenol, to provide a product stream having lower concentration of phenol than said process stream, wherein the amount of phenol removed from said process stream is greater than the amount of benzene produced or paraxylene isomerized by said contact, and wherein said aromatic hydrocarbon stream comprises effluent downstream of an alkylation process comprising the reaction of an alkylating agent selected from methanol, DME, and mixtures thereof, with benzene and/or toluene in the presence of a suitable alkylation catalyst under appropriate conditions to provide said aromatic hydrocarbon stream wherein said adsorbent is selected from alumina, silica, molecular sieves, basic organic resins, and mixtures thereof.