Hydrogen-assisted adsorption of sulphur compounds from olefin mixtures

• Main Authors: Reeker, Helene, Peitz, Stephan, Stochniol, Guido, Maschmeyer, Dietrich, Bukohl, Reiner
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 06.08.2019
• Subjects: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS; CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOIDCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; FUELS; HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS; LUBRICANTS; METALLURGY; MINERAL WAXES; ORGANIC CHEMISTRY; PEAT; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVEHYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, ORGASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; SEPARATION; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS; TRANSPORTING

The invention relates to a process for purifying hydrocarbon mixtures, in which a contaminated hydrocarbon mixture comprising olefins having three to eight carbon atoms is at least partly freed of sulphur-containing contaminants by contacting it with a solid sorbent, the hydrocarbon mixture being exclusively in the liquid state during the contact with the sorbent. The problem that it addressed was that of virtually completely removing sulphur compounds present in the mixture without forming new sulphur compounds again at the same time. At the same time, 1-butene present therein was not to be lost in the purification of the mixture. Finally, the sorbent used was to have a high sorption capacity, be very substantially free of carcinogenic constituents and be readily available. This problem is solved by using a sorbent based on copper oxide, zinc oxide and aluminium oxide in a particular composition, and by conducting the purification in the presence of a small amount of hydrogen.