Patent ID: 7652185
Filing Date: 2010-01-26
Classification: B01J,C07C,Y02P,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A process for the reduction of boron trifluoride emissions from a crude PAO product stream, the process comprising the following sequential steps: oligomerizing a linear alpha olefin feed mixture by contacting the linear alpha olefin with a mixture comprising fresh boron trifluoride-organic catalyst, recovered boron trifluoride-organic catalyst, and boron trifluoride to form an oligomerization reaction mixture comprising free boron trifluoride gas, boron trifluoride-organic catalyst, unreacted alpha-olefin monomer, and poly-alpha olefin oligomers, subsequent to oligomerization, mixing the oligomerization reaction mixture with an organic constituent selected from the group consisting of alcohols, alkyl acetates, alkyl carboxylic acids, ethers and mixtures thereof to yield a crude PAO product of boron trifluoride-organic catalyst, unreacted alpha-olefin monomer, and poly-alpha olefin oligomers, distilling a portion of the crude PAO product at a temperature sufficient to cause the boron trifluoride-organic catalyst to dissociate to produce an overhead stream comprising uncomplexed boron trifluoride and an uncomplexed organic catalyst component, and contacting the uncomplexed boron trifluoride and uncomplexed organic catalyst component in a condenser column having an internal structure that increases the recombination of the uncomplexed boron trifluoride and uncomplexed organic catalyst component to form a recycle boron trifluoride-organic catalyst, wherein the recycle boron trifluoride-organic catalyst is about 30% greater in saturation than the recycle boron trifluoride-organic catalyst recovered in the absence of the internal structure.