CATALYTIC CONVERSION OF OLEFINS TO HIGHER HYDROCARBONS

摘要

An improved continuous process for converting lower olefinic hydrocarbon feedstock to C5+ liquid hydrocarbons by contacting vapor phase olefinic feedstream with acid zeolite catalyst in the presence of recycled diluent stream rich in C3-C4 hydrocarbons in an enclosed reactor at elevated temperature and pressure. The improved technique comprises a system for cooling reactor effluent to recover a heavier hydrocarbon stream containing a mixture of C3-C4 hydrocarbons and C5+ hydrocarbons and debutanizing the heavier hydrocarbons below reactor pressure to obtain a C5+ product stream and a condensed C3-C4 hydrocarbon stream. Operating efficiencies are realized in the heat exchange system by reboiling the debutanized C5+ hydrocarbon product stream with hot reactor effluent, and by recycling and combining at least a portion of the condensed C3-C4 hydrocarbon stream to dilute liquid olefin hydrocarbon feedstock. By increasing pressure on the liquid olefinic hydrocarbon feedstock and liquid recycle stream to at least the elevated reactor pressure in the liquid state prior to vaporization, energy is conserved.