Segmented reactor for homogeneous regeneration of spent ionic liquid
We provide a segmented reactor for regenerating a spent acidic ionic liquid via a hydrogenation reaction and hydrocracking, comprising: no solid hydrogenation catalyst; a gas inlet on one side for feeding a gas feed comprising a hydrogen; a liquid inlet on an opposite side for feeding a spent acidic ionic liquid; partitions along an axis of the reactor that create segments, wherein each segment functions as a bubble column reactor; and an outlet from which a regenerated acidic ionic liquid flows out of the segmented reactor.
1. A segmented reactor for regenerating a spent acidic ionic liquid via a hydrogenation reaction and a hydrocracking, comprising: no solid hydrogenation catalyst; a gas inlet on a first side of the segmented reactor for feeding a gas feed comprising a hydrogen; a liquid inlet on an opposing side of the segmented reactor for feeding the spent acidic ionic liquid; partitions along an axis of the segmented reactor that create segments, wherein each segment functions as a bubble column reactor; and
an outlet from which a regenerated acidic ionic liquid flows out of the segmented reactor; and
wherein a placement of the gas inlet and the liquid inlet create a counter-current flow within the segmented reactor.
2. The segmented reactor of claim 1 , wherein the partitions comprise one or more down flow pipes, and orifices.
3. The segmented reactor of claim 1 , wherein the partitions comprise one or more gas/liquid contact devices.
4. The segmented reactor of claim 1 , wherein the counter-current flow within the segmented reactor provides contacting of an effluent ionic liquid stream within the segmented reactor with a fresh gas feed, which provides more conversion of conjunct polymers in the spent acidic ionic liquid.
5. The segmented reactor of claim 1 , wherein the outlet is at a bottom of the segmented reactor.
6. The segmented reactor of claim 1 , additionally comprising a gas outlet at a top of the segmented reactor.
7. The segmented reactor of claim 1 , wherein the gas inlet is at a bottom of the segmented reactor and the liquid inlet is at a top of the segmented reactor.
8. The segmented reactor of claim 7 , wherein the outlet is at a bottom of the segmented reactor, and additionally comprising a gas outlet at a top of the segmented reactor.
9. The segmented reactor of claim 3 , wherein the one or more gas/liquid contact devices comprise a valve tray, a bubble cap tray, or a combination thereof.
10. The segmented reactor of claim 1 , wherein the liquid inlet is designed to feed a mixture of the spent acidic ionic liquid and a hydrocarbon solvent.
11. The segmented reactor of claim 1 , wherein the gas inlet is a perforated plate, a gas sparger, or a porous medium.
12. The segmented reactor of claim 1 , wherein a gas feed rate and a column diameter of the segmented reactor are designed to provide a superficial gas velocity of 0.01 cm/s to 5 cm/s.
13. The segmented reactor of claim 1 , additionally comprising a particulate filter media having no hydrogenation activity at the top of one or more of the partitions.
14. The segmented reactor of claim 1 , wherein the partitions have a layer of one or more solids that create a flow resistance, for gas and liquid flows, within the segmented reactor.
15. The segmented reactor of claim 1 , wherein the segmented reactor is designed to provide a mass flow ratio of a liquid feed to the gas feed from 1:1 to 100:1.
16. The segmented reactor of claim 1 , additionally comprising a guard bed vessel placed before the segmented reactor that minimizes contaminants going into the segmented reactor.
17. The segmented reactor of claim 1 , additionally comprising a back-pressure regulator that modulates an amount of a hydrogen chloride in the segmented reactor.