A transfer line between the outlet of a steam cracker and the inlet for the quench system has metallic or ceramic inserts having a pore size from about 0.001 to about 0.5 microns inside the line forming a gas tight barrier with the inner surface of the line and having a vent for the resulting gas tight pocket are used to separate H.sub.2, CH.sub.4, CO and CO.sub.2 from cracked gases reducing the load on the down-stream separation train of the steam cracker.

A transfer line between the outlet of a steam cracker and the inlet for the quench system has metallic or ceramic inserts having a pore size from about 0.001 to about 0.5 microns inside the line forming a gas tight barrier with the inner surface of the line and having a vent for the resulting gas tight pocket are used to separate H.sub.2, CH.sub.4, CO and CO.sub.2 from cracked gases reducing the load on the down-stream separation train of the steam cracker.

The invention provides mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) for olefin/paraffin separation and methodes of making and using the same. The MMMs comprise a continuous polymer matrix with metal doped zeolite nano-particles. A separation technology based upon the composite membranes is effective for propylene and other olefin separation from olefin/paraffin mixtures, and the separation is more energy-efficient than the conventional cryogenic technique.

The invention provides mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) for olefin/paraffin separation and methodes of making and using the same. The MMMs comprise a continuous polymer matrix with metal doped zeolite nano-particles. A separation technology based upon the composite membranes is effective for propylene and other olefin separation from olefin/paraffin mixtures, and the separation is more energy-efficient than the conventional cryogenic technique.

Disclosed are systems and methods which provide a process stream comprising a gaseous component, capture the gaseous component from the process stream by an ionic liquid solvent of a separator, and recover a captured gaseous component from the ionic liquid solvent in a regenerator. A second gaseous component from the process stream may be captured by the ionic liquid solvent of the separator, and the second gaseous component may be recovered from the ionic liquid solvent in the regenerator. Alternatively, the second gaseous component from the process stream may be uncaptured by the ionic liquid solvent, and the uncaptured second gaseous component may be recovered from a membrane unit.

Disclosed are systems and methods which provide a process stream comprising a gaseous component, capture the gaseous component from the process stream by an ionic liquid solvent of a separator, and recover a captured gaseous component from the ionic liquid solvent in a regenerator. A second gaseous component from the process stream may be captured by the ionic liquid solvent of the separator, and the second gaseous component may be recovered from the ionic liquid solvent in the regenerator. Alternatively, the second gaseous component from the process stream may be uncaptured by the ionic liquid solvent, and the uncaptured second gaseous component may be recovered from a membrane unit.

Disclosed are systems and methods which provide a process stream comprising a gaseous component, capture the gaseous component from the process stream by an ionic liquid solvent of a separator, and recover a captured gaseous component from the ionic liquid solvent in a regenerator. A second gaseous component from the process stream may be captured by the ionic liquid solvent of the separator, and the second gaseous component may be recovered from the ionic liquid solvent in the regenerator. Alternatively, the second gaseous component from the process stream may be uncaptured by the ionic liquid solvent, and the uncaptured second gaseous component may be recovered from a membrane unit.

A method for producing para-xylene (PX) includes introducing a C.sub.8 aromatic-containing composition to a xylene rerun column to separate the C.sub.8 aromatic-containing composition into a xylene-containing effluent and a heavy effluent and passing the xylene-containing effluent to a PX processing loop that includes a PX recovery unit operable to separate a PX product from the xylene-containing effluent, a membrane isomerization unit operable to convert a portion of the MX, OX, or both from the xylene-containing effluent to PX, an EB dealkylation unit operable to dealkylate EB from the xylene-containing effluent to produce benzene, toluene, and other C.sub.7− compounds, and a membrane separation unit operable to produce a permeate that is PX-rich and a retentate that is PX-lean. The permeate is passed to the PX recovery unit for recovery of PX, which the retentate is bypassed around the PX recovery unit circulated through the xylene processing loop.

A method for producing para-xylene (PX) includes introducing a C.sub.8 aromatic-containing composition to a xylene rerun column to separate the C.sub.8 aromatic-containing composition into a xylene-containing effluent and a heavy effluent and passing the xylene-containing effluent to a PX processing loop that includes a PX recovery unit operable to separate a PX product from the xylene-containing effluent, a membrane isomerization unit operable to convert a portion of the MX, OX, or both from the xylene-containing effluent to PX, an EB dealkylation unit operable to dealkylate EB from the xylene-containing effluent to produce benzene, toluene, and other C.sub.7− compounds, and a membrane separation unit operable to produce a permeate that is PX-rich and a retentate that is PX-lean. The permeate is passed to the PX recovery unit for recovery of PX, which the retentate is bypassed around the PX recovery unit circulated through the xylene processing loop.

A method for producing para-xylene (PX) includes introducing a C.sub.8 aromatic-containing composition to a xylene rerun column to separate the C.sub.8 aromatic-containing composition into a xylene-containing effluent and a heavy effluent and passing the xylene-containing effluent to a PX processing loop that includes a PX recovery unit operable to separate a PX product from the xylene-containing effluent, a membrane isomerization unit operable to convert a portion of the MX, OX, or both from the xylene-containing effluent to PX, an EB dealkylation unit operable to dealkylate EB from the xylene-containing effluent to produce benzene, toluene, and other C.sub.7− compounds, and a membrane separation unit operable to produce a permeate that is PX-rich and a retentate that is PX-lean. The permeate is passed to the PX recovery unit for recovery of PX, which the retentate is bypassed around the PX recovery unit circulated through the xylene processing loop.