Isomerization Shell Liquid-phase process

Fig. 20. Process variables for butane isomerization. Shell liquid-phase process. Conditions (unless otherwise noted) temperature, 176°F. residence time, 13-15 minutes AlCU, 7.5 wt.% HCl, 4.0 wt.% catalyst-to-hydrocarbon ratio, 1/1.

Fiq. 18. Liquid-phase butane isomerization. Shell antimony chloride process. 

The third liquid-phase butane-isomerization process, shown in Figure 5, was developed by Shell as an improvement over the original intermittent vapor-phase process. 

Salient features of the three commercialized processes are shown in Table VI. The Shell Development Co s liquid phase isomerization process uses an improved Friedel-Crafts catalyst system consisting of a solution of A1C13 in SbCl3 and uses HC1 as a promoter. This process was first evaluated in an existing isomerization unit in 1961 (26) giving it the... 

The third liquid-phase butane-isomerization process was developed by Shell Oil Company (16) as an improvement over the original intermittent vapor-phase process. The simplified flow diagram is shown in Figure 18. The aluminum chloride is handled, in this case, as an approximately 9% solution in relatively inert molten antimony trichloride the... 

Essential features of the Shell naphthene isomerization process (24) are outlined in Figure 26. Although the contactor principle employed in the other liquid-phase Shell processes is used, the catalyst is handled in the form of hydrocarbon complex. A carefully fractionated and dried concentrate of dimethylcyclopentanes is preheated to 200°F., and about 0.1% of anhydrous hydrogen chloride is added. The feed is joined by a stream of catalyst complex and charged to the reactor under a gauge... 

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