Method of removing oxygenated sulfur compounds from hydrocarbons

Abstract

A process for the removal of oxygenated sulfur compounds from a hydrocarbon stream, especially the effluent from a sulfuric acid alkylation reactor, in which the hydrocarbon stream is first subjected to deentrainment of any carryover liquid sulfuric acid and then passed over a sorbent which removes the oxygenated sulfur compounds.

1 . A process for the removal of oxygenated sulfur compounds from a hydrocarbon stream comprising passing said hydrocarbon stream over a supported sorbent comprising a component selected from the group comprising copper, zinc or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       2 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein said sorbent is supported on alumina.  
   
   
       3 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein said oxygenated sulfur compounds are present as a residual amount.  
   
   
       4 . The process according to  claim 3  wherein said oxygenated sulfur compounds are the residual amount present in a hydrocarbon stream recovered from a sulfuric acid catalyzed paraffin alkylation.  
   
   
       5 . The process according to  claim 4  wherein said hydrocarbon stream is the alkylate product recovered from a sulfuric acid catalyzed paraffin alkylation.  
   
   
       6 . The process according to  claim 5  wherein said hydrocarbons comprise isooctane.  
   
   
       7 . A process for the removal of residual amount of oxygenated sulfur compounds from a stream comprising hydrocarbons and sulfuric acid comprising mechanically separating sulfuric acid from said hydrocarbons, recovering the hydrocarbons containing a residual amount of oxygenated sulfur compounds and passing said hydrocarbon stream over a supported sorbent comprising a component selected from the group comprising copper, zinc or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       8 . The process according to  claim 7  wherein said sorbent is supported on alumina.  
   
   
       9 . The process according to  claim 7  wherein said residual amount is less than 1000 wppm oxygenated sulfur compounds.  
   
   
       10 . The process according to  claim 9  wherein said oxygenated sulfur compounds are the residual amount present in a hydrocarbon stream recovered from a sulfuric acid catalyzed paraffin alkylation.  
   
   
       11 . The process according to  claim 10  wherein said hydrocarbon stream is the alkylate product recovered from a sulfuric acid catalyzed paraffin alkylation.  
   
   
       12 . The process according to  claim 11  wherein said hydrocarbons comprise isooctane.  
   
   
       13 . The process according to  claim 7  wherein said hydrocarbons comprise C 4 's.  
   
   
       14 . The process according to  claim 7  wherein said mechanical means comprises a coalescer.  
   
   
       15 . A process for the treatment of the effluent from an alkylation reactor wherein a stream containing normal butene is contacted with a stream containing normal and isobutanes in the presence of liquid sulfuric acid under conditions of temperature and pressure to produce isooctane along with sulfonates and sulfonic esters, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) passing said effluent through a deentrainment device containing coalescer material wherein any entrained sulfuric acid is removed from the effluent; and    (b) passing the effluent from said deentrainment device to a sorber containing a sorbent which selectively sorbs oxygenated sulfur compounds from said effluent.    
   
   
       16 . A process for the treatment of the effluent from an alkylation reactor wherein a stream containing normal butene is contacted with a stream containing normal and isobutanes in the presence of liquid sulfuric acid under conditions of temperature and pressure to produce isooctane along with sulfonates and sulfonic esters, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) passing said effluent through a deentrainment device containing coalescer material wherein any entrained sulfuric acid is removed from the effluent;    (b) passing the liquid effluent from the deentrainment device to a deisobutanizer;    (c) removing isobutane from the deisobutanizer as a first overheads;    (d) recycling the isobutane from the deisobutanizer to the alkylation reactor;    (e) removing normal butanes and alkylate from the deisobutanizer as a first bottoms;    (f) passing the bottoms from the deisobutanizer to a debutanizer;    (g) removing normal butanes from said debutanizer as a second overheads;    (h) removing alkylate from said debutanizer as a second bottoms; and    (i) passing said second bottoms to a sorber containing a sorbent which selectively sorbs oxygenated sulfur compounds from said effluent.    
   
   
       17 . The process according to  claim 16  further comprising passing said first overheads to a sorber containing a sorbent which selectively sorbs oxygenated sulfur compounds from said effluent.  
   
   
       18 . The process according to  claim 16  further comprising passing said second overheads to a sorber containing a sorbent which selectively sorbs oxygenated sulfur compounds from said effluent.  
   
   
       19 . The process according to  claim 16  wherein said sorbent is selected from the group consisting of copper and zinc supported on alumina.