Process and plant for obtaining an ethylene product in a supercritical state

US10457617B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Linde GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Torben Höfel · Munich, DE
• Martin Kamann · Oberhaching, DE
• Michael Scholch · Starnberg, DE
• Sean McCracken · Puchheim, DE
• Josef Kunkel · Gauting, DE
• Gunther Kracker-Semler · Unterhaching, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 20, 2017
• Grant date: Oct 29, 2019
• Expiry date: Feb 20, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P30/40
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A method for obtaining an ethylene product in a supercritical state is proposed, in which method a gas mixture containing predominantly or exclusively ethylene and ethane is separated in a distillation column (1), which is operated at a distillation pressure level of from 5 to 15 bar, into an overhead product containing predominantly or exclusively ethylene and a bottom product containing predominantly or exclusively ethane, the overhead product being withdrawn in the gaseous state from the head of the distillation column (1) and a first portion thereof being liquefied and returned as reflux to the distillation column (1) and a second portion thereof being converted into a supercritical state and being used as the ethylene product. Provision is made that, for converting the second portion into the supercritical state, multi-stage compression from the distillation pressure level via a plurality of intermediate pressure levels to a supercritical pressure level is carried out, the second portion in the multi-stage compression being converted predominantly or exclusively from the gaseous into the supercritical state. A corresponding installation is likewise a subject of the invention.