Patent ID: 6680419
Filing Date: 2004-01-20
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
A process for purification of olefins which comprises: providing a impure mixture comprising at least one olefin of from 2 to about 8 carbon atoms, acetylenic impurities having the same or similar carbon content in an amount of up to about 1 percent by volume based upon conversion of the total amount of olefin present and optionally saturated hydrocarbon gases;admixing a source of dihydrogen with the impure mixture to form a feedstream comprising a sub-stoichiometric amount of dihydrogen based upon the total amount of acetylenic impurities present to their olefiric analogs: passing the feedstream through a particulate bed of adsorbent comprising predominantly a support material selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, active carbon and clay, containing less than 500 parts per million by weight of sulfur-containing components, calculated as elemental sulfur, and having a high surface area from about 80 to about 500 square meters per gram as measured by the BET gas adsorption method, on which is dispersed at least one metallic element in the zero valentâ€”state selected from the group consisting of chromium, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, ruthenium, palladium, silver and platinum, to effect, under conditions suitable for adsorption within, the bed, selective adsorption and/or complexing of the contained acetylenic contaminants with the adsorbent, until levels of the acetylenic impurities in the purified effluent increase to a predetermined level of less than about 1 part per million by volume of the acetylenic impurities; and thereafter regenerating the resulting bed of adsorbent in the presence of a reducing gas comprising dihydrogen to effect release of the contained acetylenic impurities from the adsorbent.