Patent ID: 6169218
Filing Date: 2001-01-02
Classification: C07C,C10G,Y02P,Y10S

Abstract:
A process for the selective hydrogenation of highly unsaturated compounds comprising the steps of: (a) feeding (1) a hydrocarbon stream containing highly unsaturated compounds which comprise diolefins and acetylenes and (2) a stream containing hydrogen to a distillation column reactor; (b) concurrently in said distillation column reactor at an effectuating hydrogen partial pressure hydrogen partial pressure in the range of at least about 0.1 psi to less than 70 psi: (i) contacting said streams in a distillation reaction zone with a hydrogenation catalyst prepared in a form to act as a distillation structure thereby to selectively hydrogenate a portion of said highly unsaturated compounds with said hydrogen to form less unsaturated hydrocarbons in a reaction mixture in a mixed vapor/liquid phase, and (ii) separating olefins produced by said selective hydrogenation from said reaction mixture by fractional distillation in said distillation structure while providing for condensing of a portion of said hydrocarbons comprising said olefins and highly unsaturated hydrocarbon compounds.