PROCESSES AND APPARATUSES FOR TOLUENE AND BENZENE METHYLATION IN AN AROMATICS COMPLEX

Abstract

This present disclosure relates to processes and apparatuses for toluene and benzene methylation in an aromatics complex for producing paraxylene. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to processes and apparatuses for toluene and benzene methylation within an aromatics complex for producing paraxylene wherein an embodiment uses a reactor having a refractory comprising a mixed oxide refractory prepared using liquid phosphate as a chemical binder.

Claims

1. An apparatus for alkylating an aromatic hydrocarbon reactant with an alkylating reagent comprising methanol to produce an alkylated aromatic product, comprising: a line comprising the aromatic hydrocarbon in upstream communication with a reactor having an inner refractory lining on an inner surface of the reactor; and a line in downstream communication with the reactor comprising the alkylate aromatic product, produced by reaction of the aromatic reactant and the alkylating reagent, from the reactor, wherein the inner refractory lining comprises passivated iron and no more than 1.0 wt % iron.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the aromatic hydrocarbon reactant includes toluene, the alkylating reagent includes methanol, and the alkylated aromatic product includes xylene.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the aromatic hydrocarbon reactant includes benzene, the alkylating reagent includes methanol, and the alkylated aromatic product includes xylene.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reactor operates at a temperature of about 500 C. to about 700 C.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reactor operates at a pressure of about 1 barg to about 10 barg.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein all of the inner surface of the reactor is coated with the inner refractory lining.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner refractory lining comprises a mixed oxide refractory prepared using liquid phosphate as a chemical binder.

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an additional line in upstream communication with the reactor comprising water.

11. A process for alkylating an aromatic hydrocarbon reactant with an alkylating reagent comprising methanol to produce an alkylated aromatic product, comprising: introducing the aromatic hydrocarbon into a reactor having an inner refractory lining on an inner surface of the reactor; and recovering the alkylate aromatic product, produced by reaction of the aromatic reactant and the alkylating reagent, from the reactor, wherein the inner refractory lining comprises passivated iron and no more than 1.0 wt % iron.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein the aromatic hydrocarbon reactant includes toluene, the alkylating reagent includes methanol, and the alkylated aromatic product includes xylene.

13. The process of claim 11, wherein the aromatic hydrocarbon reactant includes benzene, the alkylating reagent includes methanol, and the alkylated aromatic product includes xylene.

14. The process of claim 11, wherein the reactor operates at a temperature of about 500 C. to about 700 C.

15. The process of claim 11, wherein the reactor operates at a pressure of about 1 barg to about 10 barg.

16. The process of claim 11, wherein all of the inner surface of the reactor is coated with the refractory.

17. The process of claim 11, wherein the refractory comprises a mixed oxide refractory prepared using liquid phosphate as a chemical binder.

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. The process of claim 11, further comprising adding water to the reactor.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a structure within the reactor is coated with the inner refractory lining.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an entirety of an inside of the reactor is coated with the inner refractory lining.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] The following description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of exemplary aspects. The scope of the present disclosure should be determined with reference to the claims.

[0015] The claimed invention comprises a first embodiment wherein a toluene methylation process or apparatus for alkylating an aromatic hydrocarbon reactant with an alkylating reagent comprising methanol to produce an alkylated aromatic product, comprising a reactor having a refractory. The refractory lines the inside of the toluene methylation reactor. The iron in the material has been passivated; therefore it cannot catalyze coke formation and has no issue with metal dusting. Additionally, the layer of refractory materials can act as a thermal barrier to allow the metal wall to stay at lower temperature than the process temperature, thus to further reduce the coke formation on the wall. The refractory may be applied to both fixed bed reactor and fluidized bed reactor. The refractory material uses liquid phosphate as the chemical binder system. The iron inside the refractory is passivated by the phosphor and cannot catalyze the coke formation. The mixed oxide can be applied to a holding structure which is attached to the internal reactor wall. The reactor comprises a temperature of about 500 C. to about 700 C. The reactor comprises an operating bed density of about 0.05 kg/m3 to 0.29 kg/m3. The weight hourly space velocity of the reactor is about 4 hr-1 to about 20 hr-1. The weight hourly space velocity of the reactor is about 10 hr-1. The reactor may operate at a pressure of about 1 barg to about 10 barg.

[0016] The second embodiment of the claimed invention comprises a benzene methylation process for alkylating an aromatic hydrocarbon reactant with an alkylating reagent comprising methanol to produce an alkylated aromatic product, comprising a reactor having a refractory. The refractory lines the inside of the benzene methylation reactor. The iron in the material has been minimized; therefore it cannot catalyze coke formation and has no issue with metal dusting. Additionally, the layer of refractory materials can act as thermal barrier to allow the metal wall stay at lower temperature than the process temperature, thus to further reduce the coke formation on the wall. The refractory may be applied to both fixed bed reactor and fluidized bed reactor. The mixed oxide can be applied to a holding structure which is attached to the internal reactor wall. The reactor comprises a temperature of about 500 C. to about 700 C. The reactor comprises an operating bed density of about 0.05 kg/m3 to 0.29 kg/m3. The weight hourly space velocity of the reactor is about 4 hr-1 to about 20 hr-1. The weight hourly space velocity of the reactor is about 10 hr-1. The reactor may operate at a pressure of about 1 barg to about 10 barg.

EXAMPLES

[0017] The following examples are intended to further illustrate the subject embodiments. These illustrations of different embodiments are not meant to limit the claims to the particular details of these examples.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Material Test Conditions Weight gain (%) Iron-passivated materials 48 hours, 600 C. Negligible (Thermbond 12-L) AA-22S 48 hours, 650 C. 7.5% AA-22S 48 hours, 600 C. 0.7%

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Feed Composition Component Wt % C.sub.5 1-4 A.sub.6-A.sub.11 85-90 Water 6-9 MeOH 0.01-2.5

[0018] There were four tests that were conducted using different refractory materials under different testing conditions. The first test was run with iron-passivated materials, more specifically Thermbond 12-L. The first test was conducted for 48 hours at 600 C. using feed 1. The first test resulted in a negligible weight gain of coke, too close to zero to quantify. SEM analysis indicated that there was no presence of metal catalyzed coked, commonly known as filamentous carbon with metal hats. The refractory surface showed minimal evidence of coke deposition and no indication of metal dusting. The second test was run with a single component refractory material with Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 content of greater than 0.25 wt %, more specifically AA-22S. The second test was conducted for 48 hours at 650 C. using a feed mixture. The third test resulted in a 7.5% weight gain of coke. The refractory was coated in a layer of coke approximately 1 mm thick which would have resulted in the refractory pushing away from the wall, or jacking, in commercial operation. The third test was run with a single component refractory material with Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 content of >0.25 wt %, more specifically AA-22S. The third test was conducted for 48 hours at 600 C. using a product mixture. The third test resulted in a 0.7% weight gain of coke. This sample had visible metal catalyzed coking on it that was perceivable without the aid of microscopic techniques.

[0019] It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present subject matter and without diminishing its attendant advantages.

Specific Embodiments

[0020] While the following is described in conjunction with specific embodiments, it will be understood that this description is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the preceding description and the appended claims.

[0021] A first embodiment of the invention is an apparatus for alkylating an aromatic hydrocarbon reactant with an alkylating reagent comprising methanol to produce an alkylated aromatic product, comprising a line comprising the aromatic hydrocarbon in upstream communication with a reactor having an inner refractory lining; and a line in downstream communication with the reactor comprising the alkylate aromatic product, produced by reaction of the aromatic reactant and the alkylating reagent, from the reactor. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the first embodiment in this paragraph, wherein the aromatic hydrocarbon reactant includes toluene, the alkylating reagent includes methanol, and the alkylated aromatic product includes xylene. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the first embodiment in this paragraph, wherein the aromatic hydrocarbon reactant includes benzene, the alkylating reagent includes methanol, and the alkylated aromatic product includes xylene. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the first embodiment in this paragraph, wherein the reactor operates at a temperature of about 500 C. to about 700 C. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the first embodiment in this paragraph, wherein the reactor operates at a pressure of about 1 barg to about 10 barg. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the first embodiment in this paragraph, wherein the entire inside lining of the reactor is coated with the refractory. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the first embodiment in this paragraph, wherein the refractory comprises a mixed oxide refractory prepared using liquid phosphate as a chemical binder. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the first embodiment in this paragraph, wherein the refractory comprises minimal iron content. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the first embodiment in this paragraph, wherein the refractory comprises passivated iron. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the first embodiment in this paragraph, further comprising an addition line in upstream communication with the reactor comprising water.

[0022] A second embodiment of the invention is a process for alkylating an aromatic hydrocarbon reactant with an alkylating reagent comprising methanol to produce an alkylated aromatic product, comprising introducing the aromatic hydrocarbon into a reactor having an inner refractory lining; and recovering the alkylate aromatic product, produced by reaction of the aromatic reactant and the alkylating reagent, from the reactor. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the second embodiment in this paragraph, wherein the aromatic hydrocarbon reactant includes toluene, the alkylating reagent includes methanol, and the alkylated aromatic product includes xylene. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the second embodiment in this paragraph, wherein the aromatic hydrocarbon reactant includes benzene, the alkylating reagent includes methanol, and the alkylated aromatic product includes xylene. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the second embodiment in this paragraph, wherein the reactor operates at a temperature of about 500 C. to about 700 C. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the second embodiment in this paragraph, wherein the reactor operates at a pressure of about 1 barg to about 10 barg. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the second embodiment in this paragraph, wherein the entire inside lining of the reactor is coated with the refractory. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the second embodiment in this paragraph, wherein the refractory comprises a mixed oxide refractory prepared using liquid phosphate as a chemical binder. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the second embodiment in this paragraph, wherein the refractory comprises minimal iron content. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the second embodiment in this paragraph, wherein the refractory comprises passivated iron. An embodiment of the invention is one, any or all of prior embodiments in this paragraph up through the second embodiment in this paragraph, further comprising adding water to the reactor.

[0023] Without further elaboration, it is believed that using the preceding description that one skilled in the art can utilize the present invention to its fullest extent and easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, to make various changes and modifications of the invention and to adapt it to various usages and conditions. The preceding preferred specific embodiments are, therefore, to be construed as merely illustrative, and not limiting the remainder of the disclosure in any way whatsoever, and that it is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims. In the foregoing, all temperatures are set forth in degrees Celsius and, all parts and percentages are by weight, unless otherwise indicated.