Patent · US Active

Use of solvent to decrease caustic scrubber fouling

US8722954B2 · kind B2 · utility

7Cited by
13References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 3, 2011
Grant dateMay 13, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 3, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02P30/20
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

The present invention is a method of reducing the formation of fouling deposits occurring in a caustic scrubber used to remove acid gases comprising: a) providing a caustic scrubber fed with an alkaline aqueous solution comprising essentially one or more of NaOH, KOH or LiOH, b) providing an olefin-containing hydrocarbon stream, contaminated with oxygenated compounds and acid gases, and said oxygenated compounds are capable to make polymeric fouling deposits in the presence of the alkaline solution of the scrubber, c) sending the above hydrocarbon stream to the caustic scrubber to recover an olefin-containing hydrocarbon stream essentially free of acid gases, wherein, d) an efficient amount of a solvent capable to reduce the formation of fouling deposits is introduced in the caustic scrubber and/or in the alkaline solution fed to the scrubber, e) the liquid outlet of the scrubber is sent to means to separate the solvent from the alkaline solution, and wherein the caustic scrubber has several stages with various caustic concentrations, and wherein the solvent injection and removal can be located at each stage.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.