Patent ID: 6846966
Filing Date: 2005-01-25
Classification: B01B,B01J,C07C,C10G,Y02P,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A process for converting oxygenates to olefins which comprises: contacting a vaporized oxygenate-containing feed with a catalyst comprising a molecular sieve under conditions sufficient to provide an oxygenates to olefin effluent stream, and further comprising: providing said vaporized oxygenate-containing feed by: a) passing an initial oxygenate-containing feed having an initial heat content through at least one feed preheater under conditions sufficient to provide a feed of increased heat content; b) directing said feed of increased heat content to at least one vapor-liquid disengaging drum; c) providing conditions within said vapor-liquid disengaging drum sufficient to provide a vaporized oxygenate-containing stream and a liquid oxygenate-containing stream further comprising at least partial non-volatiles, wherein the boiling point of said oxygenates of said oxygenate-containing feed within said drum is controlled by varying the total pressure within the vapor-liquid disengaging drum so as to impart sufficient heat content to said vaporized oxygenate-containing stream, such that said contacting of the vaporized oxygenate-containing feed with said catalyst provides said effluent stream which comprises a superheated gas phase comprising olefins, unreacted oxygenate, and water at a temperature above that of said initial oxygenate-containing feed; d) heat exchanging said liquid oxygenate-containing stream by passage through at least one heat exchanger, external to said vapor-liquid disengaging drum, wherein heat is added to said liquid oxygenate-containing stream from said oxygenates to olefin effluent stream to provide a heat exchanged, at least partially vapor phase, oxygenate-containing stream; and e) directing said heat exchanged stream to said vapor-liquid disengaging drum.