US 7,320,745 B2
Energy efficient method for exothermic reactions
Arvids Judzis, Jr., Houston, Tex. (US); Abraham P. Gelbein, Falls Church, Va. (US); John R. Adams, Houston, Tex. (US); and Christopher C. Boyer, Houston, Tex. (US)
Assigned to Catalytic Distillation Technologies, Pasadena, Tex. (US)
Filed on Jan. 19, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/38,755.
Prior Publication US 2006/0157337 A1, Jul. 20, 2006
Int. Cl. B01D 3/14 (2006.01); C10G 7/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 203—21  [203/22; 203/27; 203/29; 203/98; 203/DIG. 8; 208/353; 208/355; 208/365; 585/8; 585/13; 585/804; 585/914] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A process for recovering the heat of reaction of a reaction component from a multi component petroleum stream to assist in fractional distillation of the multi component petroleum stream from which the reaction component is derived comprising:
fractionating said multi component petroleum to recover at least two fractions, a first fraction containing said reaction component having a first boiling range and comprising less than the entire multi component petroleum stream, and a second fraction having a second boiling point which is lower than the first boiling range;
removing said first fraction from said fractional distillation;
reacting said reaction component under conditions to exothermically react said reaction component and produce a reaction stream having a temperature higher than said second boiling range;
removing said second fraction from said fractional distillation;
heating said second fraction by indirect heat exchange with said reaction stream; and
returning the heated second fraction to said fractional distillation;
wherein said multi component petroleum feed comprises a gasoline mixture containing C5-C10 paraffin and aromatic components: benzene is said reaction component in said first fraction; said benzene is reacted with hydronen in a reaction mixture at the boiling point of said first fraction in plug flow in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst under conditions of temperature and pressure to convert benzene to cyclohexane.