Process for production of propylene and ethylbenzene from dilute ethylene streams

Abstract

A process for producing propylene is provided which includes directing an ethylene stream from an ethylene reaction zone to a propylene reaction zone; directing a butene stream to the propylene reaction zone; reacting the ethylene stream with the butene stream in the propylene reaction zone to produce a propylene reaction stream; and subjecting the propylene reaction stream to a recovery operation to recover propylene. A processes is also provided for producing an alkylaromatic by directing an ethylene stream from a propylene reaction zone to an alkylaromatic reaction zone; directing an aromatic stream to the alkylaromatic reaction zone; reacting the ethylene stream with the aromatic stream in the alkylaromatic reaction zone to produce an alkylaromatic reaction stream; and subjecting the alkylaromatic reaction stream to a recovery operation to recover alkylaromatics. A process for producing propylene and an alkylaromatic is also provided.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A process for producing propylene, comprising: 
 a) directing an ethylene stream comprising no more than 95 mol % ethylene from an ethylene reaction zone to a propylene reaction zone;    b) directing a butene stream to the propylene reaction zone;    c) reacting the ethylene stream with the butene stream in the propylene reaction zone to produce a propylene reaction stream; and    d) subjecting the propylene reaction stream to a recovery operation to recover propylene.    
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising: condensing the ethylene stream before step (a).  
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising: removing acetylene from the ethylene stream before step (a).  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising: partially fractionating the ethylene stream before step (a).  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of ethylene in the ethylene stream is in the range of about 60 mol % to about 95 mol %.  
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein the concentration of ethylene in the ethylene stream is in the range of about 65 mol % to about 85 mol %.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein the concentration of ethylene in the ethylene stream is in the range of about 80 mol % to about 83 mol %.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the ethylene reaction zone comprises a thermal cracking device.  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the propylene reaction zone comprises a metathesis or catalytic cracking reactor.  
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the recovery operation comprises a fractionation column.  
     
     
         11 . A process for producing an alkylaromatic, comprising: 
 a) directing an ethylene stream from a propylene reaction zone to an alkylaromatic reaction zone;    b) directing an aromatic stream to the alkylaromatic reaction zone;    c) reacting the ethylene stream with the aromatic stream in the alkylaromatic reaction zone to produce an alkylaromatic reaction stream; and    d) subjecting the alkylaromatic reaction stream to a recovery operation to recover alkylaromatics.    
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11 , further comprising: subjecting the ethylene stream to a fractionation operation before directing it to the alkylaromatic reaction zone.  
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the concentration of ethylene in the ethylene stream is in the range of about 30 mol % to about 90 mol %.  
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the concentration of ethylene in the ethylene stream is in the range of about 40 mol % to about 78 mol %.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the propylene reaction zone comprises a metathesis or catalytic cracking reactor.  
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the alkylaromatic reaction zone comprises a fixed-bed reactor or a catalytic distillation reactor.  
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the recovery operation comprises a fractionation column.  
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the aromatic stream comprises an aromatic selected from the group consisting of benzene, naphthalene, anthracene, phenanthrene, and derivatives thereof.  
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the alkylaromatic is selected from the group consisting of ethylbenzene, polyethylbenzene and derivatives thereof.  
     
     
         20 . A process for producing propylene and an alkylaromatic, comprising: 
 a) reacting a feedstock in an ethylene reaction zone to produce a first ethylene stream;    b) directing the first ethylene stream to a propylene reaction zone;    c) directing a butene stream to the propylene reaction zone;    d) reacting the first ethylene stream with the butene stream in the propylene reaction zone to produce a propylene reaction stream;    e) subjecting the propylene reaction stream to a first recovery operation to recover the propylene and a second ethylene stream;    f) directing the second ethylene stream to an alkylaromatic reaction zone;    g) directing an aromatic stream to the alkylaromatic reaction zone;    h) reacting the second ethylene stream with the aromatic stream in the alkylaromatic reaction zone to produce an alkylaromatic reaction stream; and    i) subjecting the alkylaromatic reaction stream to a second recovery operation to recover the alkylaromatic.    
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 20 , further comprising: condensing the ethylene stream before step (b).  
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 20 , further comprising: removing acetylene from the ethylene stream before step (b).  
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 20 , further comprising: partially fractionating the ethylene stream before step (b).  
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein the concentration of ethylene in the first ethylene stream is in the range of about 60 mol % to about 95 mol %.  
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein the concentration of ethylene in the first ethylene stream is in the range of about 65 mol % to about 85 mol %.  
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 25 , wherein the concentration of ethylene in the first ethylene stream is in the range of about 80 mol % to about 83 mol %.  
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein the concentration of ethylene in the second ethylene stream is in the range of about 30 mol % to about 90 mol %.  
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 27 , wherein the concentration of ethylene in the second ethylene stream is in the range of about 40 mol % to about 78 mol %.  
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein the ethylene reaction zone comprises a thermal cracking device.  
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein the propylene reaction zone comprises a metathesis or catalytic cracking reactor.  
     
     
         31 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein the alkylaromatic reaction zone comprises a fixed-bed reactor or a catalytic distillation reactor.  
     
     
         32 . The process of  claim 20  wherein the first recovery operation comprises a fractionation column.  
     
     
         33 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein the second recovery operation comprises a fractionation column.  
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein the feedstock is selected from the group consisting of ethane, propane, butane, naphtha, gas oils and hydrocracked vacuum gas oils.