(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)

(19) World Intellectual Property Organization

International Bureau

(43) International Publication Date (10) International Publication Number

29 November 2007 (29.11.2007)
(51) International Patent Classification:
C07C 1/24 (2006.01)
(21) International Application Number:
PCT/BR2007/0001 19
(22) International Filing Date: 17 May 2007 (17.05.2007)
(25) Filing Language:
PCT WO 2007/134415 A2
AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BR, BW, BY, BZ, CA, CH,
CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES,
FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN,
IS, JP, KE, KG, KM, KN, KP, KR, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR,
LS, LT, LU, LY,MA, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY,
MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, OM, PG, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS,
RU, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, SV, SY, TJ, TM, TN,
English TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW

(26) Publication Language: English
(30) Priority Data:
0601803-3 18 May 2006 (18.05.2006) BR
(71) Applicants and
(72) Inventors: BARROCAS, Helcio Valladares [BR/BR];
Alameda 24 de outubro, 4 - Icarai, Niter όi - RJ 24320-155
(BR). LACERDA, Antonio, Ignacio [BR/BR]; Rua
Amadeu Gomes n° 126 - Lote 08, Quadra 11 - Pendotiba,
Niter όi - RJ 24230 - 010 (BR).
(74) Agent: ROCHA, Marta Aparecida; SQS 205, Bloco "E"
- 307, Brasilia - DF 70235-050 (BR).
(81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every
kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM,
(84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every
kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH,
GM, KE, LS, MW, MZ, NA, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM,
ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM),
European (AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI,
FR, GB, GR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV,MC, MT, NL, PL,
PT, RO, SE, SI, SK, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM,
GA, GN, GQ, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG).
Published:
— without international search report and to be republished
upon receipt of that report
For two-letter codes and other abbreviations, refer to the "G uid
ance Notes on Codes and Abbreviations" appearing at the beg in
ning of each regular issue of the PCT Gazette.

(54) Title: PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF ETHYLENE FROM ETHYL ALCOHOL

(57) Abstract: The present invention concerns the process for obtainment of ethylene through ethyl alcohol dehydration (ethanol),
more specifically, from ethanol contained in hydrated alcohol (AEHC) or in anhydrous alcohol (AEAC), in the presence of a catalyst,
in an adiabatic reactor. One objective of the present invention is to use a given amount of reactor effluent as heating fluid, which
consists in the mixture of ethylene - water vapor and others, generated in ethanol dehydration and a given amount of water, produced
by condensation of the water contained in the reactor effluent. Water generated in the reaction system and water originating from the
charge of AEHC/ AEAC form the aqueous effluent of the unit. Other objectives achieved in the present invention with modifications
of the reaction system and use of heat fluids, which are obtained in the reaction system itself, are: 1) maximization of utilization
of the heat generated in the process flow, with consequent reduction in the consumption of utilities; 2) reduction in the number of
equipment, that allows the reduction of operation personnel and investment, and consequently, the reduction of capital costs and the
unit servicing. The flow sent to the separation section, where ethylene is the main product, is constituted by the mixture of ethylene,
water vapor, non-converted ethanol, which will be recycled to extinction, and other products generated from contaminants eventually
present in AEHC/ AEAC that will be recovered for other uses.
 "PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF ETHYLENE FROM ETHYL ALCOHOL".

The present invention concerns a process for

obtainment of ethylene through dehydration of ethyl

alcohol (ethanol) , more specifically, from ethanol

contained in hydrafeed alcohol (AEHC) or in anhydrous

alcohol (AEAC) , in the presence of a catalyst, in an

adiabatic reactor.
Production of ethylene by ethanol dehydration, with

the presence of a catalyst is an endothermic reaction,

which reaction heat in the adiabatic process is provided

by hydrated alcohol (AEHC) or anhydrous alcohol (AEAC) ,

overheated and, mainly, b y one or more heating fluids that

circulate in the process, maintaining the temperature in

the reactor at suitable levels, to give a high conversion

o f ethanol to ethylene.

One objective o f the present invention is to use a

given amount of a reactor effluent, as heating fluid,

which consists in the mixture of ethylene - water vapor

and others, generated in ethanol dehydration and a given

amount of overheated vapor, yielded from the water

generated in ethanol dehydration, and condensed in the

reactor effluent.

Other objectives achieved in the present invention

with modifications o f the reaction system and with the use

of heating fluids, which are obtained in the reaction

system itself, are:

1) Maximization of heat utilization in the process flow,

with the consequent reduction in the consumption of

utilities;
2) Reduction in the number of equipment, that allows the

reduction of operation personnel and investment, and

consequently, the reduction of capital costs and unit

servicing.
The use of such heating fluids, substituting the

water vapor from external source, used in Brazilian Patent

P I 7705256, allows that the reaction of total conversion

of ethanol to ethylene, water vapor and others may be

carried out using a smaller number of equipment in the

reaction area, such as only one furnace, one reactor, one

compressor and two benches of heat exchangers that

transfer heat between the process flow.
Also, the wash-out of the overheated water vapor from

external source, as a heating source for the system in

usual operation of the unit and the consequent reduction
in the consumption of cooling water, should lead to

significant reductions in investment and production cost.

The use of ethanol, a renewable raw material for
production of ethylene, using the present process, which

shows low investment and low power consumption, allows the

production of ethylene at much lower cost and with CO2

emission much lower than those observed in the production

of ethylene from fossil fuel traditionally used.

The present invention, with the simplification

presented, will facilitate the integration of the ethylene
alcohol process to other projects, namely:

In Petrochemical Units, that use naphtha as raw

material, through the association of ethylene

production process from alcohol, with the
 production of ethylene co-products from refinery

flows. The result of this association is the

reduction in consumption of naphtha, making the

country effectively self-sufficient in the

production of fuels and raw material for the
petrochemical industry, using exclusively national
petroleum, making real the Brazilian dream for
becoming independent from imported petroleum and

byproducts .
- In ethylene derivatives manufacturing companies , to
produce such raw material and increase its

competitiveness ;
In alcohol producing regions, through the

association of distilleries with the companies

holding the technology for production of the

selected ethylene derivative, allowing the creation

of new centers of sustainable development in the
hinterland of the Country.
Comments on the price for alcohol presented in a

study developed by Petrobras - "Business opportunities for

Petrobras in alcohol external market" - showed that the
average cost for production of alcohol in the country in

2003 was of US$ 0,16/L, and that the average sales price

in the distilleries, free of freight and taxes was o f US$

0,22/L. This production cost was confirmed by alcohol

manufacturers at the Seminar "Alcohol: Potential Generator

of Foreign Exchange Credits and Jobs", held at BNDES, Rio

de Janeiro, in August 2003.
 Marketing prices for alcohol are influenced b y the

production seazonability, international sugar and alcohol

market, the exchange rate and, mainly, by speculation with

this commodity. Anyhow, what cannot b e ignored is that a

great difference actually exists between the prices for

alcohol, at non- speculative situations, and naphtha price

in the international market, where petroleum exceeds US$

60,0/B. The simplicity of the process and the great

difference of prices between these raw material ensure the

economic feasibility of alcohol for producing ethylene,

and justify the negotiations that should b e carried out

between the industry and alcohol manufacturers in order to

keep the prices for this product at reasonable levels,

since this will benefit all of us.

PRIOR ART

It is known that by mid 70' s , ethylene alcohol was

produced in tubular reactors, installed in parallel, in

which overheated alcohol would pass through pipes filled

with a catalyst (alumina) , while a heating fluid
(dowtherm) would circulate in the casing, providing heat
for ethanol dehydration.

The capacity of the units was small (up to 10.000

tons of ethylene/year) , and the campaign time for these

reactors was of three to four weeks, being from two to

three weeks operating and one week for burning the coke

deposited in the catalyst and realignment of the reactor.

The previous Patent Brazilian Application P I 7705256

made by the same author, modified this technology and

showed that the formation of ethylene i s highly favored at
reaction temperatures above 3 60°C, in an adiabatic

reactor, and also that other factors are limitative of the

reaction and should b e taken into consideration, such as

thermal decomposition of ethyl alcohol, which leads to

undesirable byproducts, such as, acetaldehyde, methane,

etc, the occurrence o f formation of excessive byproducts

at the catalyst surface, such as coke formation, which

causes its deactivation, needing regeneration.

In order to solve such problems, it is proposed in

Brazilian Patent Application PI 7705256, the supply of

heat necessary for the reaction from external source,

through the introduction in the reactor, simultaneously to

the feeding of ethyl alcohol charge, a heating fluid,

sensible heat carrier, in this case, water vapor, at high

temperature, in such a way to allow the reaction to occur

at the desired temperature and would also carry out coke

removal, increasing the campaign time of the reactor.

If in P I 7705256 only a set of furnace/reactor would

be used, the vapor amount necessary for ethanol

dehydration to ethylene would b e very high, burdening the

process, then it is proposed to use the overheated vapor

only in the I set furnace/reactor and the employment of

serial reactors, in order to make the unit economically

feasible. Thus, upon being implemented, the unit was

constituted by three sets of furnace/serial reactor, each

set being fed with a certain amount of alcohol.

The previous process showed the use o f water vapor a s

an advantage, which, in addition to act as a heating

fluid, promoted the removal of coke deposited in the

catalyst, increasing the campaign time of the reactor. In

rebuttal, there was the additional cost for this water

vapor and for the investment in the heat exchange system

for condensation of this water vapor, and the consequent

increase in the consumption of cooling water.

Thus, the reaction system o f the prior art has the

following disadvantages:

Requires 3 sets of furnace/ serial reactor

Has higher operation cost, due to the use of

external vapor and cooling water for condensing it,

Has higher investment in the heat exchange

equipment and separation/water purification.

The Brazilian Patent Application PI 8101487, which

was not commercially used, describes the same technology,

but with the concern that the reaction i s not damaged with

the temperature drop in the catalyst bed, caused b y the

exclusive dependency o f heat externally supplied by the

heat carrying fluid. Thus, it is proposed that when

starting the operation, there is a control of recycling,

so that an established reaction regime is achieved.

Therefore, a high pressure i s applied on the charge to b e

processed, composed of ethanol and a flow of hot gaseous

recycles. This high pressure is maintained at the

dehydration and purification steps of the product, so that

the end product to b e purified by cryogenic distilling is

not submitted to another compression step, since the

pressure suitable for this partition was already achieved.

However, this process was not made available since it

requires high investments and high demand for power.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With the high increase o f petroleum price in 2004,

the technology in Brazilian Patent Application P I 7705256

showed to be promising, what led us to develop a

comparative study of this technology before the use of

naphtha, used in the three (3) Units for production of

ethylene and its byproducts.

The study revealed that the production cost for

ethylene from ethanol was quite lower than the price for

ethylene produced in the Units. It can be noted that in

2004, the average price for Brent petroleum was of

US$38/B, much lower than the value around US$60/B,

exercised in 2006.
The present invention aims at improving technically

the previous process, aiming at simplification of the

process that, consequently leads to the reduction in cost

production of ethylene from ethanol, in the aspects

relating to costs for capital, utilities, operation,

supervision and maintenance, which would create conditions

for maintaining the cost for ethylene on low level, in

event of a considerable increase on alcohol price.

Other economic factors have justified the improvement

of BR PI7705256, such as the investment rate per ton of

ethylene, given hereunder, which will b e even lower in the

present invention.
 It is worth to note that the petrochemical unit,

which produces only ethylene, from ethane pyrolisis, that

has lower investment, shows the following investment

rates, updated for 2004:

USGC Location (Camacari) /

Capacity: 454,000 ton/ year;

Investment: 1,281.34 US$/ton of ethylene.

The consumption o f fuel and utilities in the unit o f

ethane pyrolisis is also much higher than that of a plant

with the same capacity that would adopt the process

configuration used in previous technology (PI 77 05256) .

More specifically, the present invention consists in

the optimization and simplification of ethylene production

process from hydrated ethyl alcohol or anhydrous ethyl

alcohol, by catalytic dehydration of ethanol, that is

obtained with the operation in a more compact unit in

relation to the prior art, which will facilitate the

operation, since only one set of furnace/reactor will be

controlled, instead of sets o f 3 furnaces and 3 reactors,

in serial, that will lead to reduction o f investment cost

and operational cost.

The process of the present invention shows the

following advantages in relation to BR P I 7705256:

- Reduction of the number of equipment, since it is

constituted by one set of furnace/reactor, which

causes the reduction on costs of capital and system

maintenance /

- Possibility to use parallel reactors and not

serial;
 - Obtainment of ethylene with the required grade of

purity;
- Non-utilization of water vapor from external source

in usual operation;
- Reduction of water production in usual operation

and in the consumption of cooling water, with the

consequent reduction in cost for utilities.

Considering the political/economic factors, the

present process showed to b e advantageous, in the case of

Brazil, in view of the following aspects:

Stresses observed in oil international market,

responsible for great increases in the price for this

commodity and its byproducts, mainly from naphtha, used in
large amount as raw material in Brazilian Units:

14,064,321 m 3 or 9,985,668 ton, in 2004;

Brazilian difficulties for producing naphtha to

comply with the demand from the Units, considering that

the national oil is predominantly of heavy type, what

makes the country import naphtha (5,382,662 m3 or

3,821,689 ton), import light oils (24,5% of the total oil

processed in 2004) and export our exceeding heavy oil at a

price about 35% lower than the imported light oil;

- Possibility to produce ethylene from ethanol, a

renewable raw material, using a process o f low investment

and operation cost, if compared with the traditional

projects, that use fossil fuels as raw material;

- Increase of jobs with the expansion of the alcohol

production to produce ethylene, a high value added

product,
 - Low consumption of power in the production of

ethylene from ethanol and, consequently, the reduced CO 2

emission that favors the environment;

- The majority of refineries in the Country is of

large size, where the GLP flows from the Units of

Catalytic Cracking and Delayed Coking contain a large

amount o f basic petrochemical products (propene, n-butene,-

raw material for butadiene) superior to that produced in

the three (3) Units, which use naphtha as raw material.

The use of such flows to produce basic petrochemical

products and the employment of the production process of

ethylene from ethanol, will allow the Units to attend the

market of olefin basic petrochemical products, with

naphtha possible of being produced from national oil being

used in the production of aromatics . The adoption of this

alternative schedule o f feeding the Units will enable the

Country to effectively achieve self-sufficiency in the

production of fuels and petrochemical raw materials.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION QF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a dehydration process

of ethyl alcohol in an adiabatic reactor of fixed bed,

consisting of the reaction section of one set of

furnace/ reactor, replacing the three sets of

furnace/serial reactor of the process previously used in

the prior art, which had the first unit designed for

60,000 ton of ethylene/year, but had previously produced

110,000 ton of ethylene/year.

In the present invention, the effluent flow of the

reaction area is sent to the separation section, which

will have a capacity compatible to produce ethylene.
The flow sent to the separation section, where
ethylene is the main product, is constituted by the

mixture of ethylene, water vapor, non-converted ethanol,

which will b e recycled to extinction, and other products

generated from contaminants eventually present in

AEHC/AEAC that will b e recovered for other uses.

In the present invention, the water vapor sent to the

separation section originates from two sources:

- from water contained in AEHC/AEAC used as raw
material;
- from water generated in ethanol dehydration.
This vapor will b e condensed, receiving the water
produced for the necessary treatment for its use in the

industrial process, including boiler water.

Thus, the capacity of the equipment involved in this
water processing in the separation section is quite
smaller than that necessary in previous technique,
disclosed in BR PI7705256, that uses water vapor from
external source as a heating fluid in the first reactor.
Comparatively, in the present invention, using AEHC,
the rate of water/ethylene production is of 0.7292 kg/kg,

whereas in previous process (BR P I 7705256) i s o f 1.8427

kg/ kg. The difference is due the fact that in previous

process a significant portion of water originates from
condensation of external water vapor used in the first
reactor.

More specifically, the present invention aims at

industrially using all water produced in the process of

ethanol dehydration, corresponding to 64,29% of ethylene

production that will receive the treatment necessary to

achieve the required quality (process water, cooling water

and boiler water) .

The invention also aims at the optimization o f heat

exchange in furnaces and between the process flows, aiming

at reducing consumption of fuel, of cooling water and

minimization of residual flows.

The reaction system of the present invention may b e

better observed in Figure 1 , described herein, and in the

following example.
Additional characteristics and advantages of the
process, according to the present invention, will become
more apparent as from the following description,
presenting a typical embodiment, supplied with the only
purpose of indication and not limitation, having the
following attached drawing as reference.
Figure 1 represents a flowchart of the process of
reaction section, with a view of the system and the
recycle flows, necessary for the operation.

Thus, according to the simplified flowchart in Figure

1, hydrated ethyl alcohol stored is transferred through
line (1) and pumped in (Bl) to the operational system
through line (2) at a suitable pressure, passing through
heat exchangers (Tl), where it is heated by thermal

exchange with the heat flow (13) of the final effluent of

the reactor (ethylene + water vapor), following through

line (3), where it is mixed in (M2) with the flow of

recycle water (16), said recycle water originating from

the vessel (Vl), where it was separated from crude

ethylene and pumped in (B2) , following said mixture of

ethyl alcohol/recycle water through line (4), being heated

in the convection section of a furnace (Fl) , going through

line (5) up to a mixer (Ml), where a given amount of

compressed gaseous recycle (12) is added, said mixture

going through line (6) to the heat exchangers (12) , where

it is heated b y the flow (9) of the total effluent o f the

reactor (Rl)/ then, said mixture is fed through line (7)

in the radiation section o f the furnace (Fl), for heating

up to a temperature between 460 and 500°C, and then it i s

sent through line (8) to the reactor (Rl), which contains

in its inner ,part a catalyst fixed bed, being that said

reactor (Rl) operates at a pressure rate o f 10,0 to 16,0

kg/cm 2 and at temperatures ranging from 47O 0C to 485°C.

The referred to flow (9) , originating from the

reactor (Rl) , firstly goes through the heat exchangers

(12) , allowing a suitable heat exchange with the mixture

flow (ethanol, recycle water, ethylene vapor/water vapor)

of line (6), before the same is fed into said furnace (Fl)

through line (7), and said flow (9) is then directed

through line (10) to the flow divisor (Dl) . In this

divisor, said line flow (10) is separated in two flows: a

first flow (11), which constitutes the gaseous recycle and

will be compressed in a compressor (Cl), going through

line (12) and mixed to the flow (5) (ethanol + recycle

water) in (Ml) at a molar rate ranging from 3.3 to 4.5 and

which will constitute in flow (6) to b e directed to the

reactor (Rl); a second flow, that goes through line (13)

to the heat exchangers (Tl), that preheats hydrated

alcohol, and then is sent through line (14) to the

separating vessel (Vl) . From this separating vessel, a

flow of crude ethylene goes through line (17) to the water

washing area. After washing the flow (17), an ethylene

flow is produced with high purity, that is sent through

line (18) to the section of final purification, that

comprises the steps o f compression, drying and cryogenic

fractionation, where ethylene is obtained in the required

specification. Another aqueous flow (19) is sent to the

area for water treatment and purification.

In the initial start-up of the unit, water vapor is

fed into the system through line (20) , and/or process

treated water is fed into the system through line (21) in

the separating vessel (Vl) .

In the present process, the mass relation between

heating fluids and the charge may range in a ratio o f 2.5

to 4.5, preferably in a rate of 2.8 to 4.0.

Catalysts used in the present invention may be

selected between gama-alumina, zeolites and others.

Depending on the type of catalyst, spatial speed may

range from 0.25 to 0.35 kg of ethanol/h per kg of

catalyst, preferably using the ratio o f 0.29 to 0.31.

We give hereunder an example, with the exclusive

purpose of showing the functioning and efficiency of

feeding charge convention in the invention process,

without limiting character. Ethylene production considered

in this example is o f 250,000 ton of ethylene/year .

 EXAMPLE 1

A charge flow in a flow rate o f 1318.1 kgmol/h of

hydrated alcohol originating from storage is pumped at a

pressure around 13.73 bar to the operational system, where

it is heated in a heat exchanger by thermal exchange with

11048.0 kgmol/h of part of the reactor effluent flow
(ethylene and water vapor) at a temperature of 178 0C then

being mixed to 8029.0 kgmol/h of a recycle flow of the

reactor product, consisting of ethylene and water vapor,

and then going to a second exchanger, where it will be

heated by thermal exchange of the reactor total effluent,

which i s placed at a temperature of approximately 397.3 0C ,

reaching a temperature of 296.7 0C , then being heated in

the radiation section of the furnace at a temperature

around 481.0 0C , necessary for the reaction, in the

reactor, in alumina catalyst. The reactor effluent that is

placed at a temperature of 397.3 0C , after being cooled by

heat exchange with the mixture to b e heated in the furnace
i s divided in the proportion of 2:3 o f recycle flow to the
flow of the end product, that will go to the separation
area.

The specific consumption of the reaction-separation

area for this case is: 1080 kW/ton of ethylene and 50

nrVton of ethylene of cooling water (∆ T = H 0C ) . The

consumption for ethylene final purification is not

included (ethylene super-fractionating) that, at most, is

of the same magnitude of a similar and traditional tower

of a Petrochemical Unit.
 Hereunder, is presented Table I of conversion,

relating to analysis of effluent flows o f the end product

and Table II, relating to weight composition of ethylene
and byproducts thereof .
 TABLE II. ETHYLENE FOR FINAL PURIFICATION (18) (D

Ethylene for Purification

Vapor Fraction 1.0000
Temperature: (C) 16.00
Pressure: (bar) 19.61
Molar Flow (kgmol/h) 1104
Mass Flow (kg/h) 3.096e-f-0.04
Molecular Weight 28.04

Component Molar Fraction

H20 0.00063
Ethanol 0.00007
Acetic Acid 0.00000
Acetaldehyde 0.00002
Ethyl acetate 0.00013
Alcohol C4+ 0.00001
Methane 0.00058
Ethane 0.00149
Propene 0.00059
1-Butene 0.00270
Ethylene 0.99378
Total 1.00000

[I) After washing with water, compression and cooling, sent for drying and cryogenic
fractioning.
 TABLE I - PROPERTY OF FLOWS

Flow 1 2 8 10 14 17

Vapor Fraction 0.0000 0.0000 1.0000 1.0000 1.0000 1.0000

Temperature (C) 25.00 25.24 481.0 178.0 156.6 156.6

10 Pressure (bar) 1.961 13.73 11.93 10.93 10.53 10.63

Molar Flow (kgmole/h) 1318.1 1318.1 8545.7 9642.8 3085.7 2415.7

Mass Flow (kg/h) 5.44S5e+004 5.4455e+004 2.0815+005 2.0815e+005 6.6663e+004 5.4592e+004

15

Composition (Molar fraction)

Flow 1 2 8 10 14 17
20 Acetic acid 0.000025 0.000025 0.000012 0.000011 0.000011 0.000014
Ethanol 0.830169 0.830169 0.128483 0.000569 0.000569 0.000722
Acetaldehyde 0.000069 0.000069 0.000034 0.000030 0.000030 0.000038
Ethyl acetate 0.000046 0.000046 0.000022 0.000020 0.000020 0.000025
Alcohol C4+ 0.000035 0.000035 0.000017 0.000015 0.000015 0.000020
25 H2O 0.169655 0.169655 0.599083 0.644218 0.644218 0.545647
Ethane 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000159 0.000159 0.000204
Propene 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000045 0.000045 0.000058
1-Butene 0.000000 0.000000 O.OOOOD0 0.000256 0.000255 0.000199
Ethylene 0.000000 0.000000 0.272358 0.354659 0.354659 0.453024
30 Methane 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000117 0.000117 0.000150

35
 CLAIMS

1. PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF ETHYLENE FROM ETHYL

ALCOHOL, characterized in that stored hydrated ethyl

alcohol (AEHC) or anhydrous ethyl alcohol (ABAC) is

transferred through line (1) and pumped in (Bl) to the

operational system through line (2) at a suitable pressure,

passing through heat exchangers (Tl) , where it is heated b y

thermal exchange with the heat flow (10) from the final

effluent (ethylene + water vapor) , going through line (3) ,

where it is mixed in (M2) with flow (16) of recycle water,

said recycle water being originated from the separator

(Vl), where it was condensed and separated and pumped in

(B2) , said mixture o f ethyl alcohol/recycle going through

line (4) , being heated in the convection section of an oven

(Fl) , following through line (5) up to a mixer (Ml) , where

it is mixed to the compressed gaseous portion of the

effluent recycle flow (12) , said mixture going through line

(6) to the heat exchangers (T2), where it is heated b y the

total flow (9) , effluent of the reactor (Rl) , and then,

said mixture (6) fed through line (7) to a furnace (Fl) for

heating up to a temperature ranging between 4 60 and 500 0C ,

and then sent through line (8) to the reactor (Rl) F which

contains in its inner part a catalyst fixed bed, where the

mixture of ethylene/water vapor is obtained and then

directed to the sections of separation, washing and

purification.

2. PROCESS, according to Claim 1, characterized in

that said reactor (Rl) operates at a pressure range of 10

to 16 kg/cm 2 and at temperatures ranging from 47O 0C to

485 0C .

3. PROCESS, according to Claim 1, characterized in

that in the beginning o f the process, water vapor is fed

into the system through line (20) , and/or process water is

fed through line (21) .

4. PROCESS, according to Claim 1, characterized in

that said heat flow (9) effluent from the reactor (Rl),

firstly goes through heat exchangers (T2) prior to the

final separation and washing steps, allowing a suitable

heat exchange with the flow mixture (ethanol, ethylene and

water vapor) of line (6) , before the same is fed into said
furnace (Fl) through line (7) and said flow (9) being then

directed through line (10) to the flow divisor (Dl) .

5. PROCESS, according to Claims 1 or 4, characterized

in that said flow (10) that passes through a flow divisor

(Dl), is then divided into 2 flows: the first flow (11),

that constitutes the gaseous recycle, which will be

compressed in a compressor (Cl) , following through line

(12) and mixed to the flow (ethanol + water recycle) in the

mixer (Ml), will constitute the flow (6), to b e directed to

the reactor (Rl) ; the second flow, that is now going

through line (13) to the heat exchangers (Tl) and i s fed

through line (14) to the separation vessel o f the product

in the separator (Vl) .

6. PROCESS, according to Claims 1 or 5, characterized

in that said flow (14) that feeds the vessel (Vl), i s then

divided into 2 flows: the first flow (15), that constitutes

the aqueous recycle, which will be compressed in a pump

(B2), going through line (16) and mixed to ethanol flow in

the mixer (M2), will constitute the flow (4), to be

directed to the reactor (Rl) ; the second part of the flow

now goes through line (17) t o the -washing and. purification

sections, where finally ethylene in the required

specification i s obtained.

7. PROCESS,- according to Claim 5r characterized in

that the flow (12) , which constitutes the recycle, after

compression i s mixed to the flow (ethanol + water recycle) ,

in the mixer (Ml) at a molar proportion that ranges from

3.0 to 5.5.

8. PROCESS, according to any of Claims 1 a 6,

characterized in that the mass relation of the recycle flow

(sensible heat/charge), may range at a ratio o f 2.5 to 4.5,

preferably, at a ratio of 2.8 to 4.0.