Since 2004, we are conducting pilot plant trials with various contactors and different ionic liquids for petrochemical model feeds as well as real refinery feeds. Our pilot plant contains several columns (RDC, Kuhni, PDDC) with a height of 6 m and 60 mm diameter. Up to 100 kg of ionic liquid and 200 L of feed are applied in experiments. The hydrodynamic and mass transfer performance of an RDC has been characterized for a toluene/n-heptane mixture, a model FCC feed and a real LCCS refinery feed using 3-methyl-N-butyl-pyridinum dicyanamide as the ionic liquid. Experiments with the real LCCS feed demonstrated comparable extraction performance to the model FCC feed. The removal rate of benzene from LCCS was 81% and that of toluene 71%, compared to 89% and 75%, respectively, for the model FCC.After the real LCCS refinery feed experiments, validation with the toluene/n-heptane model feed confirmed unchanged extraction performance.

Long time experience on aromatics extraction with ionic liquids on pilot plant scale

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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