BACKGROUND

[0001] Aromatic compounds such as benzene, toluene, and xylenes are important industrial chemicals used in a variety of applications. Paraxylene is used to form dicarboxylic acids and esters, which are key chemical feedstocks in the production of polyesters and aromatics-based plasticizers. Most conventional production routes for these materials utilize fossil fuel-derived feeds. Thus, it would be desirable to find additional synthesis routes for para-xylene and other aromatics that are sustainable, while also providing high-purity end products.

Advantageously, the manufacture of such components can be carried out with existing equipment and facilities.

SUMMARY

[0002] In one general aspect, the present technology concerns a method of producing a recycled-content alkanes stream comprising feeding a recycled-content pyrolysis gas stream to an unsaturated gas plant of a refinery complex and recovering the recycled-content alkanes stream from the unsaturated gas plant.

[0003] In one general aspect, the present technology concerns a method of generating and processing a recycled-content pyrolysis effluent produced from waste plastic. The waste plastic is pyrolyzed to produce the recycled-content pyrolysis effluent. A recycled-content pyrolysis oil stream and a recycled-content pyrolysis gas stream are recovered from the recycled-content pyrolysis effluent. At least a portion of the recycled- content pyrolysis oil stream is fed to at least one distillation column. The at least one distillation column also is fed a crude oil feedstock. At least a portion of the recycled-content pyrolysis gas stream is fed to an unsaturated gas plant. [0004] In one general aspect, the present technology concerns a method of producing recycled-content p-xylene from plastic waste. The waste plastic is pyrolyzed to produce a recycled content pyrolysis effluent. A recycled-content pyrolysis oil stream and a recycled-content pyrolysis gas stream are recovered from the recycled-content pyrolysis effluent. At least a portion of the recycled-content pyrolysis oil stream is fed to at least one distillation column. The at least one distillation column also is fed a crude oil feedstock. At least a portion of the recycled-content pyrolysis gas stream is fed to an unsaturated gas plant. A recycled-content alkanes stream is recovered from the unsaturated gas plant. At least a portion of the recycled-content alkanes stream is fed to a steam cracker facility. A recycled-content pyrolysis gasoline stream is recovered from the steam cracker facility. At least a portion of the recycled-content pyrolysis gasoline stream is fed to an aromatics complex. A recycled-content p- xylene product stream is recovered from the aromatics complex.

[0005] In one general aspect, the present technology concerns a method of producing a recycled-content p-xylene product stream. A recycled- content pyrolysis gasoline is processed within an aromatics complex to recover the recycled-content p-xylene product stream. The recycled- content pyrolysis gasoline is made by the following process. A plastic waste is pyrolyzed to produce a recycled content pyrolysis effluent. A recycled-content pyrolysis oil stream and a recycled-content pyrolysis gas stream are recovered from the recycled-content pyrolysis effluent. At least a portion of the recycled-content pyrolysis oil stream is fed to at least one distillation column. The at least one distillation column also is fed a crude oil feedstock. At least a portion of the recycled-content pyrolysis gas stream is fed to an unsaturated gas plant. A recycled-content alkanes stream is recovered from the unsaturated gas plant. At least a portion of the recycled-content alkanes stream is fed to a steam cracker facility. The recycled-content pyrolysis gasoline is recovered from the steam cracker facility. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is a schematic process flow diagram illustrating the main processes/facilities in a system for providing recycled content hydrocarbon products, including r-paraxylene according to various embodiments of the present technology;

[0007] FIG. 2 is a schematic process flow diagram illustrating an exemplary pyrolysis facility that may be used in various embodiments of the present technology;

[0008] FIG. 3 is a schematic process flow diagram illustrating an exemplary unsaturated gas plant that may be used to produce various hydrocarbon streams, one or more of which may be fed to a downstream alkylation and/or catalytic olefin oligomerization unit;

[0009] FIG. 4 is a schematic process flow diagram illustrating an exemplary steam cracking facility that may be used in various embodiments of the present technology;

[0010] FIG. 5 is a schematic process flow diagram illustrating the main steps/zones in an aromatics complex suitable for use in the system illustrated in FIG. 1 ;

[0011] Fig. 6a is a block flow diagram illustrating the main steps of a process for making recycled content aromatics (r-aromatics) and recycled content paraxylene (r-paraxylene), and optionally, a recycled content chemical compound from the r-paraxylene, wherein the r-aromatics (and r-paraxylene and r-chemical compound) have physical content from one or more source materials; and

[0012] Fig. 6b is a block flow diagram illustrating the main steps of a process for making recycled content aromatics (r-aromatics) and recycled content paraxylene (r-paraxylene), and optionally, a recycled content chemical compound from the r-paraxylene, wherein the r-aromatics (and r-paraxylene and r-chemical compound) have credit-based recycled content from one or more source materials.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] We have discovered new methods and systems for producing paraxylene and organic chemical compounds formed by directly processing paraxylene or its derivatives, including, for example, organic chemical compounds such as terephthalic acid and polyethylene terephthalate. More specifically, we have discovered a process and system for producing paraxylene where recycled content from waste materials, such as waste plastic, are applied to paraxylene (or its derivatives) in a manner that promotes the recycling of waste plastic and provides paraxylene (or other organic chemical compounds) with substantial amounts of recycled content.

[0014] Turning initially to FIGS. 6a and 6b, paraxylene is formed by processing a predominantly aromatics stream in an aromatics complex to provide a stream including at least 85, at least 90, at least 92, at least 95, at least 97, or at least 99 weight percent paraxylene. The paraxylene stream can undergo one or more additional processing steps to provide at least one organic chemical compound derived from paraxylene. Examples of such organic chemical compounds include, but are not limited to, terephthalic acid, polymers such as polyethylene terephthalate, and other related organic chemical compounds.

[0015] As generally shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b, a stream of waste plastic processed in one or more conversion facilities may provide the aromatics stream, which can be processed to form the paraxylene stream. The recycled content in the paraxylene stream can be physical and may directly originate from waste plastic or an intermediate hydrocarbon stream formed by processing waste plastic (not shown in FIGS. 1 or 2), and/or the recycled content may be credit based and can be applied to a target stream in the aromatics complex and/or chemical processing facilities. [0016] The aromatics (or paraxylene or organic chemical compound) streams can have a total recycled content of at least 5, at least 10, at least 15, at least 20, at least 25, at least 30, at least 35, at least 40, at least 45, at least 50, at least 55, or at least 65 percent and/or 100 percent, or less than 99, less than 95, less than 90, less than 85, less than 80, less than 75, or less than 70 percent. Similarly, the r-TPA and/or r-PET or even the r-aromatics stream can have a recycled content of at least 5, at least 10, at least 15, at least 20, at least 25, at least 30, at least 35, at least 40, at least 45, at least 50, at least 55, or at least 65 percent and/or 100 percent, or less than 99, less than 95, less than 90, less than 85, less than 80, less than 75, or less than 70 percent. The recycled content in one or more of these streams can be physical recycled content, credit-based recycled content, or a combination of physical and credit-based recycled content.

[0017] Turning initially to FIG. 6a, in one embodiment or in combination with one or more embodiments mentioned herein, at least a portion of the recycled content in the aromatics and/or paraxylene stream (or in the organic chemical compound product stream) can be physical (direct) recycled content. This recycled content may originate from a waste plastic stream. The waste plastic stream is ultimately converted in one or more conversion facilities (e.g., a pyrolysis facility, a refinery, a steam cracking facility, and/or a molecular reforming facility and methanol-to-aromatics facility), which is processed (alone or with a non-recycled content aromatics stream) as described herein to provide an r-paraxylene stream. The r-paraxylene stream can then be further processed (along or in combination with a non-recycled content paraxylene stream) to provide a recycled content organic chemical compound, including, but not limited to, recycled content terephthalic acid (r-TPA), recycled content polyethylene terephthalate (r-PET), and one or more additional recycled content organic chemical compounds (r-organic chemical compounds).

[0018] The amount of physical recycled content in the target product (e.g. composition, r-aromatics or r-paraxylene or r-organic chemical compound) can be determined by tracing the amount of waste plastic material processed along a chain of chemical pathway(s) and ending with the moiety or portion of the target product attributable to the waste plastic chemical pathway. As used herein, a moiety can be a portion the atoms and their structure of a target product and can also include the entire chemical structure of the target product and does not necessarily require the inclusion of a functional group. For example, a moiety of p-xylene can include the aromatic ring, a portion of the aromatic ring, the methyl groups, or the entire p-xylene molecule. The chemical pathway includes all chemical reactions and other processing steps (e.g., separations) between the starting materials (e.g., waste plastic) and the moiety in the target product attributable to the chemical pathway originating in waste plastics. For example, the chemical pathway for the r-aromatics can include pyrolysis, optionally refining and/or stream cracking, and/or molecular reforming and methanol synthesis and conversion. The chemical pathway for the r-paraxylene can further include processing in the aromatics complex, and the chemical pathway for the r-organic chemical compound may include a variety of additional steps, such as, for example, oxidation, polymerization, etc., depending on the specific r-organic chemical compound. A conversion factor may be associated with each step along the chemical pathway. The conversion factors account for the amount of the recycled content diverted or lost at each step along the chemical pathway. For example, the conversion factors can account for the conversion, yield, and/or selectivity of the chemical reactions along the chemical pathway.

[0019] The amount of credit-based recycled content in a target product (e.g. compositions, r-aromatics or r-paraxylene or r-organic chemical compounds) can be determined by calculating the mass weight percent of a target moiety in a target product and attributing a recycle content credit to the target product in any amount up to the mass weight percent of the target moiety in the target product as a maximum. The credit based recycle content that is eligible to be applied to the target product is determined by tracing the waste plastic material along a chain of chemical pathway(s) and ending with the same moiety as target moiety in the target product. Thus, the credit based recycle content can be applied to a variety of different target products having the same moiety even though the products are made by entirely different chemical pathways provided that the credit applied is obtained from waste plastic and the waste plastic ultimately undergoes at least one chemical pathway originating from waste plastic and ending in the target moiety. For example, if a recycle content credit is obtained from waste plastic and booked into a recycle content inventory, and there exists chemical pathways at the facility capable of processing the waste plastic through to a target moiety such as p-xylene (e.g. a pyrolysis reactor effluent to a crude distillation column to a hydrotreater to a reformer to an aromatics complex that isolates p-xylene), the recycle content credit is then a type eligible to apply to any p-xylene molecule made by any chemical pathway, including the one existing at the facility and/or to the p-xylene portion of a pyrolysis gasoline stream composition obtained from a steam cracker and gasoline fractionator. As with physical recycled content, a conversion factor may or may not be associated with each step along the chemical pathway. Additional details on credit-based recycled content are provided below.

[0020] The amount of recycled content applied to the r-aromatics (or r- paraxylene or r-organic chemical compound) can be determined using one of variety of methods for quantifying, tracking, and allocating recycled content among various materials in various processes. One suitable method, known as “mass balance,” quantifies, tracks, and allocates recycled content based on the mass of the recycled content in the process. In certain embodiments, the method of quantifying, tracking, and allocating recycled content is overseen by a certification entity that confirms the accuracy of the method and provides certification for the application of recycled content to the r-aromatics (or r-paraxylene or r- organic chemical compound).

[0021] Turning now to FIG. 6b, one embodiment where the r-organic chemical compound (or r-paraxylene) includes credit-based recycled content, is provided. Recycled content credits from waste plastic are attributed to one or more streams within the facility. For example, the recycled content credits derived from waste plastics can be attributed to the aromatics stream fed to the aromatics complex, or to any of the products separated and isolated in the aromatics complex, such as to the paraxylene stream. Alternatively, or in addition, recycled content credits obtained from one or more intermediate streams within the conversion facility and/or aromatics complex can also be attributed to one or more products, such as paraxylene, within the facility, depending on the specific configuration of the system. Further, recycled content credits from one or more of these streams may also be attributed to the organic chemical compound stream, as shown in FIG. 6b.

[0022] As such, the waste plastic stream, or the r-aromatics stream and r- paraxylene streams (and any recycled content intermediate streams not shown in FIG. 6b) not made at the facility or purchased or acquired, can each act as a “source material” of recycled content credits. The aromatics fed to the aromatics complex, the paraxylene product or any other products separated and/or isolated from the aromatics complex, the paraxylene transferred (including sales) or fed to the chemical processing facility, any intermediate streams not shown, and even the organic chemical compound, can each act as a target product to which the recycled content credits are attributed. In one embodiment or in combination with any embodiment mentioned herein, the source material has physical recycled content and the target product has less than 100 percent physical recycled content. For example, the source material can have at least 10, at least 25, at least 50, at least 75, at least 90, at least 99, or 100 percent physical recycled content and/or the target product can have less than 100, less than 99, less than 90, less than 75, less than 50, less than 25, less than 10, less than 1 percent, or no physical recycled content.

[0023] The ability to attribute recycled content credits from a source material to a target product removes the co-location requirement between the facility making the source material (with physical recycled content) and the facility making the aromatics or products receiving recycle content value (e.g. paraxylene or organic chemical compound). This allows a chemical recycling facility/site in one location to process waste material into one or more recycled content source materials and then apply recycled content credits from those source materials to one or more target products being processed in existing commercial facilities located remotely from the chemical recycling facility/site, optionally within the same Family of Entities, or to associate a recycle content value with a product that is transferred to another facility, optionally owned by a different entity that can deposit the recycle content credit into its recycle content inventory one the product is receiving, purchased, or otherwise transferred. Further, the use of recycled content credits allows different entities to produce the source material and the aromatics (or paraxylene or organic chemical compound). This allows efficient use of existing commercial assets to produce the aromatics (or paraxylene or organic chemical compound). In one or more embodiments, the source material is made at a facility/site that is at least 0.1 , at least 0.5, at least 1 , at least 5, at least 10, at least 50, at least 100, at least 500, or at least 1000 miles from the facility/site where the target product is used to make the aromatics (or paraxylene or organic chemical compound).

[0024] The attributing of recycled content credits from the source material (e.g., the r-aromatics from the conversion facility) to the target product (e.g., an aromatics stream fed to an aromatics complex) can be accomplished by transferring recycled content credits directly from the source material to the target product. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6b, recycled content credits can be applied from any of the waste plastic, r- aromatics, and r-paraxylene (when present) to the aromatics, paraxylene, or organic chemical compound via a recycled content inventory.

[0025] When a recycled content inventory is used, recycled content credits from the source material having physical recycled content (e.g., the waste plastic, the r-aromatics, and optionally the r-paraxylene shown in FIG. 6b) are booked into the recycled content inventory. The recycled content inventory can also contain recycled content credits from other sources and from other time periods. In one embodiment, recycled content credits in the recycled content inventory correspond to a moiety, and the recycle content credit is applied or assigned to the same a target products containing a target moiety, and the target moiety is either (i) not chemically traceable through chemical pathways used to for generating the recycle content credit or (ii) is chemically traceable through chemical pathways used for generating the recycle content credit. Chemical traceability is achieved when atoms from a source material such as waste plastic can be theoretically traced to one or more atoms in the target moiety of a target product through each chemical pathway to obtain that atom(s) in the target moiety.

[0026] In some embodiments, there may be a periodic (e.g., annual or semi-annual) reconciliation between waste plastic credits deposited in the recycled content inventory and the mass of waste plastic processed. Such reconciliations may be performed by an appropriate entity at an interval consistent with rules of the certification system in which the producer is participating.

[0027] In one embodiment, once recycled content credits have been attributed to the target product (e.g., the aromatics stream, the paraxylene stream, or any intermediate stream not shown), the amount of the creditbased recycled content allocated to the organic chemical compound (e.g., TPA, PET, or other organic chemical compound) is calculated by the mass proportion of atoms in the target product that are chemically traceable to the source material. In another embodiment, a conversion factor can be associated with each step along the chemical pathway of the credit-based recycled content. The conversion factors account for the amount of the recycled content diverted or lost at each step along the chemical pathway. For example, the conversion factors can account for the conversion, yield, and/or selectivity of the chemical reactions along the chemical pathway. However, if desired, the amount of recycle content applied to a target product can be more than the mass proportion of the target moiety chemically traceable to the waste plastic source material. The target product can receive up to 100% recycle content even though the mass proportion of atoms in the target moiety that is chemically traceable to a recycle source material, such as mixed plastic waste stream, is less than 100%. For example, if the target moiety in a product represents only 30 wt.% of all atoms in a target product that are chemically traceable to a mixed plastic waste stream, the target product can nevertheless receive more than 30% recycle content value, up to 100% if desired. While such application would violate chemical traceability for the full value of the amount of recycle content in a target product back to a waste plastic source, the particular amount of recycle content value applied to a target product will depend on the rules of a certification system that the producer participates in.

[0028] As with the physical recycled content, the amount of credit-based recycled content applied to the r-aromatics (or r-paraxylene or r-organic chemical compound) can be determined using one of variety of methods, such as mass balance, for quantifying, tracing, and allocating recycled content among various products in various processes. In certain embodiments the method of quantifying, tracing, and allocating recycled content is overseen by a certification entity that confirms the accuracy of the method and provides certification for the application of recycled content to the r-aromatics (or r-paraxylene or r-organic chemical compound). [0029] The r-aromatics (or r-paraxylene or r-organic chemical compound) can have 25 to 90, 40 to 80, or 55 to 65 percent credit-based recycled content and less than 50, less than 25, less than 10, less than 5, or less than 1 percent physical recycled content. In certain embodiments, the r- aromatics (or r-paraxylene or r-organic chemical compound) can have at least 10, at least 25, at least 50, or at least 65 percent and/or not more than 90, not more than 80, or not more than 75 percent credit-based recycled content from one or more of the r-aromatics and/or r-paraxylene, individually.

[0030] In one or more embodiments, the recycled content of the r- aromatics (or r-paraxylene or r-organic chemical compound) can include both physical recycled content and credit-based recycled content. For example, the r-aromatics (or r-paraxylene or r-organic chemical compound) can have at least 10, at least 20, at least 30, at least 40, or at least 50 percent physical recycled content and at least 10, at least 20, at least 30, at least 40, or at least 50 percent credit-based recycled content. As used herein, the term “total recycled content” refers to the cumulative amount of physical recycled content and credit-based recycled content from all sources.

[0031] We have discovered a method for producing a recycled content hydrocarbon product and/or recycled content organic chemical compounds from hydrocarbon streams with recycled content derived from waste plastic. More specifically, hydrocarbon streams formed by the pyrolysis or cracking of waste plastic can be further processed in a petroleum refinery and/or cracking facility and/or reforming facility to provide recycled content aromatics, which are further processed in an aromatics complex to provide purified streams of recycled content benzene (r-benzene), recycled content toluene (r-toluene), and recycled content xylene (r-xylene), including recycled content paraxylene (r-pX). All or a portion of the r-pX can then be further processed to form additional recycled content organic chemical compounds, such as recycled content terephthalic acid (r-TPA) and/or recycled content polyethylene terephthalate (r-PET).

[0032] T urning initially to FIG. 1 , a process and facility for use in forming a recycled content hydrocarbon product is provided. Note, that for convenience and simplicity, only the main product streams described in the following description have been illustrated in the Figures. It is understood that a facility for use in forming a recycled content hydrocarbon product, including any separation units and reactor units contained therein, may produce additional product streams besides those illustrated. Specifically, the system illustrated in FIG. 1 can form recycled content paraxylene (r-pX) from one or more streams having recycled content from waste plastic.

[0033] FIG. 1 depicts a refinery complex comprising one or more distillation units, one or more cracking facilities, such as a steam cracker, and an aromatics complex. Optionally, at least a portion of the r-pX produced in the aromatics complex can be further processed and oxidized to form recycled content terephthalic acid (r-TPA) in a TPA production facility (not shown) and at least a portion of the r-TPA can be polymerized to form recycled content polyethylene terephthalate (r-PET) (not shown). The r-pX formed as described herein may be used in other applications not described herein.

[0034] In one embodiment or in combination with any embodiments mentioned herein, a waste plastic stream is provided to a chemical recycling facility to produce a stream having a recycled content used as a feed to a refinery. The chemical recycling facility depicted in FIG. 1 , comprises a pyrolysis unit that is operable to produce a pyrolysis effluent, which may be separated into various product streams including pyrolysis vapor, which maybe further separated into pyrolysis oil and/or pyrolysis gas streams, and a pyrolysis residue. Chemical recycling facilities are not the same as mechanical recycling facilities. As used herein, the terms “mechanical recycling” and “physical recycling” refer to a recycling process that includes a step of melting waste plastic and forming the molten plastic into a new intermediate product (e.g., pellets or sheets) and/or a new end product (e.g., bottles). Generally, mechanical recycling does not substantially change the chemical structure of the plastic being recycled. The chemical recycling facilities described herein may be configured to receive and process waste streams from and/or that are not typically processable by a mechanical recycling facility.

[0035] In one embodiment or in combination with any embodiments mentioned herein, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or all of the chemical recycling facility, the refinery, the one or more cracking facilities, the aromatics complex, and the optional TPA production facility and the optional PET facility may be co-located. As used herein, the term “co-located” refers to the characteristic of at least two objects being situated on a common physical site, and/or within 5, within 3, within 1 , within 0.75, within 0.5, or within 0.25 miles of each other, measured as a straight-line distance between two designated points. Alternatively, any product stream depicted in the Figures can be produced at one location and then transported by pipeline, truck, rail, or ship to another location for continued processing.

[0036] When two or more facilities are co-located, the facilities may be integrated in one or more ways. Examples of integration include, but are not limited to, heat integration, utility integration, waste-water integration, mass flow integration via conduits, office space, cafeterias, integration of plant management, IT department, maintenance department, and sharing of common equipment and parts, such as seals, gaskets, and the like.

[0037] Additionally, one or more, two or more, three or more, four or more, five or more or all, of the chemical recycling facility, the refinery, the one or more cracking facilities, the aromatics complex, the TPA production facility, and the PET production facility may be commercial-scale facilities. For example, in one embodiment or in combination with any embodiments mentioned herein, one or more of these facilities/steps can accept one or more feed streams at a combined average annual feed rate of at least 500, at least 1000, at least 1500, at least 2000, at least 5000, at least 10,000, at least 50,000, or at least 100,000 pounds per hour, averaged over one year. Further, one or more of the facilities can produce at least one recycled content product streams at an average annual rate of at least 500, or at least 1000, at least 1500, at least 2000, at least 2500, at least 5000, at least 10,000, at least 50,000, or at least 75,000 pounds per hour, averaged over one year. When more than one r-product stream is produced, these rates can apply to the combined rate of all r-products.

[0038] One or more, two or more, three or more, four or more, five or more, or all, of the chemical recycling facility, the refinery, the one or more cracking facilities, the aromatics complex, the TPA production facility, and the PET production facility can be operated in a continuous manner. For example, each of the steps or processes within each of the facilities and/or the process amongst the facilities may be operated continuously and may not include batch or semi-batch operation. In one embodiment or in combination with any embodiments mentioned herein, at least a portion of one or more of the facilities may be operated in a batch or semi-batch manner, but the operation amongst the facilities may be continuous overall.

[0039] In one embodiment or in combination with any embodiments mentioned herein, a mixed waste plastic can be introduced into a chemical recycling facility, which includes a pyrolysis facility. As depicted in Fig. 2, within the pyrolysis facility, the mixed waste plastic may be pyrolyzed to form at least one recycled content pyrolysis effluent stream. The chemical recycling facility may also include a plastics processing facility (not shown) for separating a stream of mixed plastic waste into a predominantly polyolefin (PO) waste plastic and a predominantly non-PO waste plastic, which typically includes waste plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and others. In addition, when present, the plastics processing facility can also remove other non-plastic components, such as glass, metals, dirt, sand, and cardboard from the incoming waste stream.

[0040] Within the pyrolysis facility, the waste plastic stream is pyrolyzed in at least one pyrolysis reactor. The pyrolysis reaction involves chemical and thermal decomposition of the waste plastic introduced into the reactor. Although all pyrolysis may be generally characterized by a reaction environment that is substantially free of oxygen, pyrolysis processes may be further defined by other parameters such as the pyrolysis reaction temperature within the reactor, the residence time in the pyrolysis reactor, the reactor type, the pressure within the pyrolysis reactor, and the presence or absence of pyrolysis catalysts.

[0041] The feed to the pyrolysis reactor can comprise, consists essentially of, or consists of waste plastic, and the feed stream can have a number average molecular weight (Mn) of at least 3000, at least 4000, at least 5000, or at least 6000 g/mole. If the feed to the pyrolysis reactor contains a mixture of components, the Mn of the pyrolysis feed is the average Mn of all feed components, based on the weight of the individual feed components. The waste plastic in the feed to the pyrolysis reactor can include post-consumer waste plastic, post-industrial waste plastic, or combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, the feed to the pyrolysis reactor comprises less than 5, less than 2, less than 1 , less than 0.5, or about 0.0 weight percent coal and/or biomass (e.g., lignocellulosic waste, switchgrass, fats and oils derived from animals, fats and oils derived from plants, etc.). The feed to the pyrolysis reaction can also comprise less than 5, less than 2, less than 1 , or less than 0.5, or about 0.0 weight percent of a co-feed stream, including steam and/or sulfur-containing cofeed streams. In other cases, steam fed to the pyrolysis reactor can be present in amounts of up to 50 weight percent.

[0042] The pyrolysis reaction can involve heating and converting the waste plastic feedstock in an atmosphere that is substantially free of molecular oxygen or in an atmosphere that contains less oxygen relative to ambient air. For example, the atmosphere within the pyrolysis reactor may comprise not more than 5, not more than 4, not more than 3, not more than 2, not more than 1 , or not more than 0.5 weight percent of molecular oxygen.

[0043] The pyrolysis reaction in the reactor can be thermal pyrolysis, which is carried out in the absence of a catalyst, or catalytic pyrolysis, which is carried out in the presence of a catalyst. When a catalyst is used, the catalyst can be homogenous or heterogeneous and may include, for example, oxides, certain types of zeolites, and other mesostructured catalysts.

[0044] The pyrolysis reactor may have any suitable design and can comprise a film reactor, a screw extruder, a tubular reactor, a stirred tank reactor, a riser reactor, a fixed bed reactor, a fluidized bed reactor, a rotary kiln, a vacuum reactor, a microwave reactor, or an autoclave. The reactor may also utilize a feed gas and/or lift gas for facilitating the introduction of the feed into the pyrolysis reactor. The feed gas and/or lift gas can comprise nitrogen and can comprise less than 5, less than 2, less than 1 , or less than 0.5, or about 0.0 weight percent of steam and/or sulfur- containing compounds. The feed and/or lift can also include light hydrocarbons, such a methane, or hydrogen, and these gases may be used alone or in combination with steam.

[0045] As illustrated in Fig. 2, a stream of recycled content pyrolysis effluent (r-pyrolysis effluent) removed from the reactor can be separated in a first separation zone to provide a recycled content pyrolysis vapor (r- pyrolysis vapor) stream and a recycled content pyrolysis residue (r- pyrolysis residue) stream. The r-pyrolysis vapor can include a range of hydrocarbon materials and may comprise both recycled content pyrolysis gas (r-pygas) and recycled content pyrolysis oil (r-pyoil). In some embodiments, the pyrolysis facility may include an additional separation zone to separate the r-pyoil and r-pygas into separate streams. Alternatively, the entire stream of r-pyrolysis vapor may be withdrawn from the pyrolysis facility and routed to one or more downstream processing facilities.

[0046] Referring again to FIG. 1 , at least a portion of the r-pyoil can be introduced into a refinery, along with a quantity of crude oil, wherein it can undergo one or more processing steps to provide various recycled-content product streams. Examples of suitable processing steps include, but are not limited to, distillation or other separation steps as well as chemical processing such as thermal and/or catalytic cracking or other reactions such as reforming and isomerization.

[0047] Additionally, or alternatively, one or more processing steps may be present in the refinery to remove chlorine-containing compounds. The total content of chlorine-containing compounds in the r-pyoil and/or crude oil stream can be at least 1 , at least 5, at least 10, at least 15, at least 20, at least 50, at least 75, at least 100 ppm by weight and/or not more than 500, not more than 350, not more than 200, or not more than 100 ppm by weight.

[0048] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the main steps or zones in a refining facility, or refinery, suitable for processing at least one hydrocarbon stream including recycled content derived from waste plastic. It should be understood that other processing steps may exist and/or other recycled content hydrocarbon streams may be produced in the refinery shown in FIG. 1. The steps, zones, and process streams illustrated in FIG. 1 are provided for simplicity and not intended to exclude other steps, zones, or process streams not shown.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 1 , the refinery may comprise at least one distillation column. In one or more embodiments, the at least one distillation column comprises an atmospheric distillation column of an atmospheric distillation unit (ADU), and/or at least one vacuum distillation column of a vacuum distillation unit (VDU). A stream of crude oil may be introduced into the atmospheric distillation unit (ADU) and separated in the at least one atmospheric distillation column to provide several hydrocarbon fractions having specified cut points. As used herein, the term “cut point” refers to the range of temperatures over which a specified petroleum fraction boils. The lower value in a boiling point range is the initial boiling point (IBP) temperature for that specified fraction and the higher value is the end point (EP) temperature for that specified fraction. Cut points are often used to identify specific streams or fractions within and/or produced by the refinery.

[0050] In addition to a stream of crude oil, the refinery shown in FIG. 1 can also process a stream of r-pyoil introduced into the ADU. In one embodiment or in combination with any embodiments mentioned herein, the ratio of the mass flow rate of r-pyoil introduced into the ADU to the mass flow rate of petroleum oil introduced into the ADU can be at least 1 :1000, at least 1 :750, at least 1 :500, at least 1 :250, at least 1 :100, at least 1 :50, at least 1 :25, or at least 1 :10 and/or not more than 1 :1 , not more than 1 :2, not more than 1 :5, or not more than 1 :10. In one or more alternate embodiments, the amount of r-pyoil introduced into the ADU can be at least 0.1 , at least 0.25, at least 0.75, at least 1 , at least 5, at least 10, at least 15, at least 20 weight percent and/or not more than 75, not more than 65, not more than 60, not more than 50, or not more than 45 weight percent of the total feed to the at least one distillation column.

[0051] The ADU separates feed stock (e.g., crude oil and r-pyoil) into multiple hydrocarbon streams, or fractions. These fractions include, but are not limited to, light gas (e.g., the ADU overhead), naphtha (light and heavy), kerosene, diesel oil, distillation cuts boiling in the kerosene and/or diesel oil range, and residue or resid, which can be removed from the ADU as an ADU bottoms stream. The heaviest stream withdrawn from the ADU (i.e. , the ADU bottoms) is a stream of recycled content atmospheric resid (r-atmospheric resid). In some cases, the r-atmospheric resid may be introduced into the VDU. In the VDU, further separation of various hydrocarbon fractions can be performed in a vacuum distillation column operated at pressures below atmospheric pressure. For example, in one embodiment or in combination with any embodiments mentioned herein, the overhead pressure of the vacuum distillation column can be less than 100, less than 75, less than 50, less than 40, or less than 10 mm Hg. Distilling the r-atmospheric resid at low pressure permits further recovery of lighter hydrocarbon components without cracking. The VDU provides various product streams, and when it processes a recycled content feedstock, provides recycled content products. Examples of such products include, but are not limited to, recycled content vacuum gas oils, such as light vacuum gas oil (r-LVGO) and heavy vacuum gas oil (r- HVGO), and recycled content vacuum resid (r-vacuum resid). i.e. , vacuum distilled bottoms.

[0052] When the ADU processes at least one recycled content feedstock, such as r-pyvapor, each of the products formed by the ADU may include recycled content. Thus, the ADU may provide recycled content light gas (r-light gas), recycled content light naphtha (r-light naphtha), recycled content heavy naphtha (r-heavy naphtha), recycled content kerosene (r- kerosene), , a distillation cut boiling in the kerosene range, recycled content diesel oil (r-diesel oil), a distillation cut boiling in the diesel oil range, and recycled content atmospheric resid (r-atmospheric resid). The mass flow rate of each stream, as well as its mass or volume in proportion to other streams depends on the operation of the ADU as well as the properties of the feedstocks being processed. As mentioned previously, other hydrocarbon streams can be produced from the ADU, but are not shown here for simplicity.

[0053] The ADU comprises at least one distillation column operated at or near atmospheric pressure. Additionally, the ADU may include other equipment such as desalters, side strippers, and reflux drums/accumulators, as well as various pumps, heat exchangers, and other auxiliary equipment needed to operate the unit.

[0054] As also shown in FIG. 1 , an r-ADU overhead gas stream is produced. The r-ADU overhead gas stream can be sent to one or more downstream locations for additional processing, storage, and/or use. This stream may also be processed to remove components such as sulfur and/or nitrogen before further processing and/or use.

[0055] In one embodiment or in combination with any embodiments mentioned herein, the recycled-content distillation overhead gas stream comprises at least 25 wt.%, at least 30 wt.%, at least 35 wt.%, at least 40 wt.%, at least 45 wt.%, at least 50 wt. %, or at least 55 wt.% of C4 or lighter hydrocarbon compounds. In one or more embodiments, the recycled-content distillation overhead gas stream comprises a total C3-C4 hydrocarbon compounds content by mass that is greater than the total content of C1 -C2 hydrocarbon compounds by mass within said recycled- content distillation overhead gas stream.

[0056] In one embodiment or in combination with any embodiments mentioned herein, at least a portion of the overhead gas stream from the ADU may be processed in an unsaturated gas plant (USGP) along with a feedstock comprising at least a portion of the r-pygas obtained from the separation zone of the pyrolysis facility. While it is within the scope of the present technology for at least a portion of the r-pygas produced by the pyrolysis facility to be fed to the ADU, in one or more embodiments, at least 10%, at least 20%, at least 30%, at least 40%, at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, or 100% of the r-pygas stream bypasses the ADU and is fed to the USGP. In one or more embodiments, the r-pygas stream has a C3 and/or C4 hydrocarbon content of from 10-90 wt.%, 25-90 wt.%, or 25-80 wt.%, based on the total weight of the r-pygas stream. In one or more embodiments, the r-pygas stream has a combined ethylene and propylene content of at least 25 wt.%, at least 40 wt.%, at least 50 wt.%, at least 60 wt.%, at least 70 wt.%, or at least 75 wt.%, based on the total weight of the r-pygas stream.

[0057] The USGP comprises a separation train comprised of one or more distillation columns that can be operated to produce several recycled content hydrocarbon fractions including a recycled-content dry gas stream or r-fuel gas stream that is mainly comprised of hydrogen, methane and ethane, a recycled content C3-C4 stream, a recycled content light naphtha stream (r-light naphtha), and/or a recycled content heavy naphtha stream (r-heavy naphtha). The USGP may further be fed with other gaseous streams from other units or processes such as catalytic fluidized bed reactor units, coking processes, hydrocracking units, hydrotreating units, and gases produced from polymer plants and the like.

[0058] Turning to FIG. 3, an r-pygas stream along with one or more further USGP feed streams, any of which may comprise at least a portion of the overhead gas stream from the ADU, are introduced into the separation train. In one or more embodiments, the individual or combined feed streams to the USGP can comprise at least 10, at least 15, at least 20, at least 25, at least 30, at least 35, at least 40, at least 45, or at least 50 weight percent of olefins. The USGP separation train can be configured to produce, at least, an r-fuel gas stream comprising predominantly hydrogen, C1 and C2 components, a stream comprising saturated and unsaturated C3 and C4 hydrocarbon compounds, and r-light and r-heavy naphtha streams. Note, C1 and lighter components (e.g., hydrogen gas) present in the feed(s) to the USGP can be removed in a demethanizer column (not illustrated) which can be part of the separation train.

[0059] In one embodiment or in combination with any embodiments mentioned herein, at least a portion of the r-C3 - r-C4 stream can be fed to an alkylation and/or catalytic olefin oligomerization unit in which the olefinic C3 and C4 compounds can be reacted to produce higher molecular weight hydrocarbon compounds. Within the alkylation unit, isobutane and low molecular weight alkenes, predominantly a mixture of propylene and butylene, are converted into alkylate, a high-octane gasoline component comprising C7-C8 isoparaffins. The reaction occurs in the presence of an acid catalyst such as sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, or hydrofluoric acid or a molecular sieve zeolite catalyst. Within the catalytic olefin oligomerization unit, C6-C9 oligomers are produced from C3 and C4 olefins using phosphoric acid or a homogeneous aluminum alkyl catalyst. The C3 and C4 alkanes present within the feed streams to the alkylation and/or catalytic olefin oligomerization unit are not reacted and wind up in the product stream from the reactors. The r-C3 and r-C4 alkanes are separated from the alkylation and/or catalytic olefin oligomerization reactor products. Thus, the r-C3 - r-C4 stream removed from the alkylation and/or catalytic olefin oligomerization unit are depleted in olefins relative to the r- C3- r-C4 stream from the USGP. In one or more embodiments, the r-C3 - r-C4 stream removed from the alkylation and/or catalytic olefin oligomerization unit comprises at least 70, at least 75, at least 80, at least 85, at least 90, at least 95, or at least 99 weight percent alkanes.

[0060] At least a portion of the r-C3 - r-C4 stream exiting from the alkylation and/or catalytic olefin oligomerization unit, which now are depleted in olefins, can be fed to a steam cracking facility as a cracker feed to be used in the manufacture of a recycled content pyrolysis gasoline (r-pyrolysis gasoline) stream. Note, the alkylate stream produced from the alkylation and/or catalytic olefin oligomerization unit is generally not fed to the steam cracking facility. However, other hydrocarbon- containing feed streams may also comprise the cracker feed as well. For example, in one or more embodiments or in combination with any embodiment mentioned herein, at least a portion of at least one of the r- light naphtha and/or r-heavy naphtha streams from the USGP separation train may be fed to the steam cracking unit, as can be at least portions of the r-light naphtha, r-heavy naphtha, r-kerosene (or an r-distillate cut boiling in the kerosene range), and r-diesel oil (or an r-distillate cut in the diesel oil range) streams from the ADU. In one or more embodiments, the steam cracker feed may comprise at least a portion of one, two, three, or four of the r-light naphtha, r-heavy naphtha, r-kerosene, r-diesel oil streams, and r-distillate cuts in either the kerosene or diesel or range.

[0061] In one or more alternate embodiments, at least a portion of the r- fuel gas stream and/or r-C4 stream, containing olefinic compounds, can bypass the alkylation and/or catalytic olefin oligomerization unit and be fed to the separation zone of the cracking facility shown in Fig. 4. Within the separation zone, olefin compounds can be separated from the r-alkanes, which can be recycled to the cracker feed.

[0062] In one or more embodiments or in combination with any embodiment mentioned herein, the r-light naphtha predominantly comprises C5 and C6 hydrocarbons and has a boiling point range of from 80-220°F (27-104°C) and/or a T50 boiling point of from 104-175°F (40- 79°C). In one or more embodiments, the r-light naphtha comprises 0.001 to 25 wt.%, 0.01 to 10 wt.%, or 0.1 to 5 wt.% olefins. In one or more embodiments, the r-light naphtha comprises 70 to 99 wt.% or from 80 to 95 wt.% alkanes, or at least 70 wt.%, at least 80 wt.%, at least 90 wt.%, or at least 95 wt.% saturated hydrocarbons, including alkanes and cycloalkanes. In one or more embodiments, the r-light naphtha comprises 0.1 to 10 wt.% or 0.5 to 5 wt.% aromatic hydrocarbon compounds, or less than 10 wt.%, less than 5 wt.%, less than 2 wt.%, or less than 1 wt.% aromatic hydrocarbon compounds. In one or more embodiments, the r- light naphtha comprises 0.1 to 10 wt.% or 0.5 to 5 wt.% cycloparaffins and/or naphthenes, or less than 10 wt.%, less than 5 wt.%, less than 2 wt.%, or less than 1 wt.% cycloparaffins and/or naphthenes.

[0063] The recycled-content cracker feed from the refinery and/or USGP can be introduced into one or more locations within the steam cracking facility individually or in combination with another hydrocarbon feed stream. In the latter case, all or a portion of the cracker feed can be combined with the hydrocarbon feed stream to form a combined stream, which can then be introduced into the furnace inlet. The hydrocarbon feed stream can include at least 50, at least 55, at least 60, at least 65, at least 70, or at least 75 weight percent of C5 to C22 components and may comprise recycled and/or non-recycled content.

[0064] Referring now to FIG. 4, a schematic diagram of the main steps/zones of a steam cracking facility as shown in FIG. 1 is provided. As shown in FIG. 2, the cracking facility generally includes a cracker furnace for thermally cracking the hydrocarbon-containing feed, a quench zone for cooling the cracked effluent and recovering an r-pyrolysis gasoline stream, a compression zone for increasing the pressure of the cooled, cracked stream, and a separation zone for separating out one or more recycled content hydrocarbon product (r-hydrocarbon product) streams from the compressed effluent. Examples of r-product streams can include, but are not limited to, recycled content olefins (r-olefins) such as recycled content ethylene (r-ethylene), propylene (r-propylene), butylene (r-butylene), r- alkanes, and r-fuel oil. Dilution steam may be added to the cracker feed stream introduced into the cracker furnace. The stream fed into the cracker furnace (or at some location prior to the radiant section of the cracker furnace) can include dilution steam to achieve a weight ratio of steam to hydrocarbon of at least 0.10:1 , at least 0.20:1 , at least 0.25:1 , at least 0.30:1 , or at least 0.35:1 and/or not more thanl :1 , not more than 0.8:1 , not more than 0.65:1 , not more than 0.60:1 , not more than 0.55:1 , not more than 0.50:1 , not more than 0.45:1 , or not more than 0.40:1 .

[0065] The steam cracking reaction performed in the steam cracker furnace can be carried out at a temperature of at least 700, at least 750, at least 800, or at least 850°C. The feed to the steam cracker furnace can have a number average molecular weight (Mn) of less than 3000, less than 2000, less than 1000, or less than 500 g/mole. If the feed to the steam cracker furnace contains a mixture of components, the Mn of the feed is the average Mn of all feed components, based on the weight of the individual feed components. The feed to the steam cracker furnace can include virgin (i.e. , not recycled) feedstock and can comprise less than 5, less than 2, less than 1 , less than 0.5, or 0.0 weight percent of coal, biomass, and/or other solids. In certain embodiments, a co-feed stream, such as steam or a sulfur-containing stream (for metal passivation) can be introduced into the steam cracker furnace. The steam cracker furnace can include both convection and radiant sections and can have a tubular reaction zone. Typically, the residence time of the streams passing through the reaction zone (from the convection section inlet to the radiant section outlet) can be less than 20 seconds, less than 15 seconds, or less than 10 seconds.

[0066] When the cracked furnace effluent stream (which may be a recycled content cracked furnace effluent or r-cracked furnace effluent, stream) is withdrawn from the cracker furnace, it can be cooled and at least partially condensed in a quench/fractionation zone to provide a cooled cracked effluent (which may be a recycled content cooled cracked effluent) stream. Additionally, a stream of r-pyrolysis gasoline (not shown) may be recovered in the quench/fractionation zone of the steam cracking facility and may be routed to at least one downstream facility for further processing as discussed in more detail with regard to FIG. 5.

[0067] Returning to FIG. 4, the cooled cracked stream withdrawn from the quench/fractionation zone of the steam cracking facility can be introduced into a compression zone, wherein the pressure of the stream can be increased in one or more compression stages prior to being introduced into a separation zone.

[0068] In the separation zone of the steam cracking facility, one or more distillation columns can be used to separate out at least one recycled content light olefin (r-olefin stream), an r-alkanes stream. As depicted in FIG. 4, the r-alkanes stream recovered from the separation zone can be recycled to the cracking facility and introduced into the cracker furnace along with the cracker feed, which as explained previously, can include recycled-content components.

[0069] The r-olefin stream can comprise predominantly C2 or predominantly C3 olefins and may include at least 75, at least 80, at least 85, at least 90, or at least 95 weight percent of ethylene or propylene.

[0070] In one embodiment or in combination with any embodiments mentioned herein, the r-pyrolysis gasoline stream produced from the quench/fractionation zone of the steam cracking facility comprises at least 20, at least 25, at least 30, at least 35, at least 40, at least 45, or at least 50 weight percent and/or not more than 85, not more than 80, not more than 75, not more than 70, not more than 65, or not more than 60 weight percent of benzene, toluene, and xylenes (BTX). In one embodiment or in combination with any embodiments mentioned herein, the r-pyrolysis gasoline can also include at least 2, at least 5, at least 10, or at least 15 weight percent and/or not more than 45, not more than 35, not more than 30, or not more than 25 weight percent of recycled content C9 to C12 aromatics and/or recycled content C6 and heavier cyclic hydrocarbons (r- C6+ cyclic hydrocarbons).

[0071] In one embodiment or in combination with any embodiments mentioned herein, the r-BTX in the r-pyrolysis gasoline can include at least 25, at least 30, at least 35, at least 40, or at least 45 weight percent and/or not more than 75, not more than 70, not more than 65, not more than 60, not more than 55, or not more than 50 weight percent of benzene, and/or at least 15, at least 20, at least 25, or at least 30 weight percent and/or not more than 65, not more than 60, not more than 55, not more than 50, not more than 45, not more than 40, or not more than 35 weight percent of toluene. Additionally, or in the alternative, the r-BTX in the r-pyrolysis gasoline can include at least 5, at least 10, at least 15, or at least 20 weight percent and/or not more than 50, not more than 45, not more than 35, not more than 30, or not more than 25 weight percent of mixed xylenes, including ortho-xylene (oX), meta-xylene (mX), and para-xylene (pX). At least a portion of the benzene, toluene, and/or xylenes in the r- BTX can comprise recycled content benzene, recycled content toluene, and/or recycled content xylenes, while, in other cases, at least a portion of the benzene, toluene, and/or xylenes may include non-recycled content.

[0072] Turning again to FIG. 1 , at least a portion of the r-pyrolysis gasoline withdrawn from the steam cracking facility can be introduced into an aromatics complex, wherein the stream can be processed to provide a recycled content paraxylene (r-paraxylene) stream. In one or more embodiments, at least a portion of the r-pyrolysis gasoline stream may optionally be fed to a hydrogenation unit in which unsaturated carboncarbon bonds are reduced in the presence of hydrogen to form saturated carbon-carbon bonds. The hydrogenation unit can employ one or more hydrogenation reactors that contain a catalyst, such as nickel, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, copper, zinc, chromium, tungsten, cobalt, molybdenum, or platinum-containing catalysts. Then, at least a portion of the hydrogenated r-pyrolysis gasoline stream is then fed to an aromatics complex.

[0073] The r-paraxylene stream, which comprises recycled content paraxylene (r-pX), can also include non-recycled content components, including non-recycled content paraxylene (pX). The r-paraxylene stream can include at least 55, at least 60, at least 65, at least 70, at least 75, at least 80, at least 85, at least 90, at least 95, at least 97, or at least 99 percent of r-pX, based on the total amount of r-pX and pX in the stream. The total amount of paraxylene in the r-paraxylene stream (including both pX and r-pX) can be at least 85, at least 90, at least 92, at least 95, at least 97, at least 99, or at least 99.5 weight percent. In some cases, all of the paraxylene in the r-paraxylene stream can be r-pX.

[0074] Referring now to FIG. 5, a schematic diagram of the main steps/zones of an aromatics complex as shown in FIG. 1 is provided. As shown in FIG. 5, at least a portion of an r-pyrolysis gasoline stream from the steam cracking facility can be introduced into an initial separation step in the aromatics complex. Note, an optional aromatics feed stream also may be introduced into the separation step along with the r-pyrolysis gasoline. Further, the r-pyrolysis gasoline may undergo hydrotreating within a hydrotreating unit before being introduced into the aromatics complex to remove all or a portion of one or more components such as sulfur-containing compounds (e.g., hydrogen sulfide, mercaptans, etc.), nitrogen-containing compounds, metals (e.g., vanadium, mercury, etc.), and/or chlorine-containing compounds and/or to saturate at least a portion of the olefinic and/or aromatic compounds in the stream.

[0075] The initial separation step shown in FIG. 5 for removing BTX from the incoming streams may be performed using any suitable type of separation, including extraction, distillation, adsorption, and extractive distillation. When the separation step includes extraction or extractive distillation, it may utilize at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of sulfolane, furfural, tetraethylene glycol, dimethylsulfoxide, N,N-dimethylformamide, and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. Upon separation, a recycled content raffinate (r-raffinate) stream depleted in aromatics can be withdrawn from the separation step/zone. The r-raffinate stream comprises predominantly C5 to C12 components and may include not more than 20, not more than 15, not more than 10, or not more than 5 weight percent of C6 to C9 aromatics (e.g., benzene, toluene, and xylenes).

[0076] Additionally, as shown in FIG. 5, a stream concentrated in recycled content benzene, toluene, and xylenes (r-BTX) can also be withdrawn from the initial separation step. This r-BTX stream comprises predominantly BTX and may include at least 60, at least 70, at least 80, at least 85, at least 90, or at least 95 BTX, including both recycled content BTX (r-BTX) and non-recycled content BTX, as applicable. The r-BTX stream can be introduced into a downstream separation train, also referred to as a BTX recovery zone, which utilizes one or more separation steps to provide streams concentrated in recycled content benzene (r-benzene), recycled content mixed xylenes (r-mixed xylenes), and recycled content toluene (r-toluene). Such separations can be performed according to any suitable method, including, for example, with one or more distillation columns or other separation equipment or steps.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 5, the r-benzene formed in BTX recovery step can be removed as a product stream from aromatics complex, while the r- mixed xylenes can be introduced into a second separation train for separating out recycled content ortho-xylene (r-oX), recycled content meta-xylene (r-mX), and/or recycled content paraxylene (r-pX) from the other components in the stream. Additionally, at least a portion of the oX (or r-oX) and/or mX (or r-mX) can be subjected to isomerization to provide additional pX (or r-pX). After the isomerization, additional separation steps may be performed to provide individual streams of oX (or r-oX), mX (or r- mX), and pX (or r-pX). This second separation step can utilize one or more of distillation, extraction, crystallization, and adsorption to provide recycle content aromatics streams. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the separation step can provide at least one of a recycled content paraxylene (r-paraxylene) stream, a recycled content metaxylene (r-metaxylene) stream, and a recycled content orthoxylene (r-orthoxylene) stream. Each of these streams may include both recycled and non-recycled content and can individually include at least 75, at least 80, at least 85, at least 90, at least 95, or at least 97 weight percent of paraxylene (r-pX and pX), metaxylene (r-mX and mX), or orthoxylene (r-oX and oX), respectively.

[0078] Additionally, as shown in FIG. 5, a stream of recycled content C9 and heavier components (r-C9+ components) may also be withdrawn from the second separation step and all or a portion may be introduced into a transalkylation/disproportionation step along with a stream of r-toluene withdrawn from the BTX recovery step/zone. In the transalkylation/disproportionation step/zone, at least a portion of the toluene (or r-toluene) can be reacted in the presence of a regenerable fixed bed silica-alumina catalyst to provide mixed xylenes (or r-mixed xylenes) and benzene (or r-benzene). Alternatively, or in addition, at least a portion of the r-toluene can be reacted with methanol (and, optionally, r- methanol) to provide recycled content paraxylene (r-paraxylene), which may be further processed as described herein. In some cases, this reaction may be performed within the aromatics complex over an acidic catalyst, preferably on a shape-selective molecular sieve catalyst such as ZSM-5, and the resulting r-paraxylene may be combined with other paraxylene (or r-paraxylene) recovered in the aromatics complex, as shown in FIG. 3. As also shown in FIG. 3, the benzene (or r-benzene) can be recovered as a product, while the r-mixed xylenes can be introduced into the second separation step/zone for further separation into a r-paraxylene stream, an r-orthoxylene stream, and a r-metaxylene stream.

[0079] At least a portion of the r-paraxylene stream withdrawn from the aromatics complex can be sent to a TPA production facility. In the TPA production facility, at least a portion of the pX (and/or r-pX) in the r- paraxylene stream can be oxidized in the presence of a solvent (e.g., acetic acid) and a catalyst to form recycled content crude terephthalic acid (r-CTA).

[0080] Thereafter, depending on the specific TPA production process utilized within the production facility, the r-CTA can either be oxidized again in a secondary or post-oxidation step or it can be hydrogenated in a treatment step to form recycled content purified terephthalic acid (r-PTA). All or a portion of the solvent may be removed from the r-CTA and swapped out for new solvent, which may be the same as or different than the original solvent. The resulting r-PTA slurry can be processed by, for example, drying, crystallization, and filtration to provide the final r-TPA product.

[0081] In one embodiment or in combination with any embodiments mentioned herein, at least a portion of the r-TPA product can be introduced into a PET production facility and reacted with at least one diol (such as, for example, ethylene glycol) to form recycled content polyethylene terephthalate (r-PET). In one embodiment or in combination with any embodiments mentioned herein, the r-TPA and ethylene glycol (or, recycled content ethylene glycol, r-EG) can be polymerized in the presence of one or more comonomers, such as isophthalic acid or neopentyl glycol or cyclohexanedimethanol, to form a recycled content PET copolymer (r-co-PET). DEFINITIONS

[0082] It should be understood that the following is not intended to be an exclusive list of defined terms. Other definitions may be provided in the foregoing description, such as, for example, when accompanying the use of a defined term in context.

[0083] As used here, the term “light gas” refers to a hydrocarbon- containing stream comprising at least 50 weight percent of C4 and lighter hydrocarbon components. Light hydrocarbon gas may include other components such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen, but these are typically present in amount of less than 20, less than 15, less than 10, or less than 5 weight percent, based on the total weight of the stream.

[0084] As used herein, the terms “median boiling point” or “T50” refers to the median boiling point of a process stream (i.e. , the temperature value where 50 weight percent of the stream composition boils above the temperature value and 50 weight percent of the stream composition boils below the temperature value).

[0085] As used herein, the term “boiling point range” or “cut point” refers to the range of temperatures over which a specified petroleum fraction boils. The lower value in a boiling point range is the initial boiling point (IBP) temperature for that specified fraction and the higher value is the end point (EP) temperature for that specified fraction.

[0086] As used herein, the term “naphtha” refers to a physical mixture of hydrocarbon components separated in at least one distillation column of a refining facility that has a boiling point range between 90 to 380°F.

[0087] As used herein, the term “light naphtha” refers to a specific portion of a naphtha cut in a refinery having a boiling point range between 90 and 190°F. [0088] As used herein, the term “heavy naphtha” refers to a specific portion of a naphtha cut in a refinery having a boiling point range between 190 and 380°F.

[0089] As used herein, the term “gas oil” or “fuel oil” refers to a physical mixture of hydrocarbon components separated in at least one distillation column of a refining facility that has a boiling point range greater than 520 to 1050°F.

[0090] As used herein, the term “atmospheric gas oil” refers to a gas oil produced by the atmospheric distillation unit.

[0091] As used herein, the term “light gas oil” or “LGO” refers to a specific portion of gas oil cut in a refinery having a boiling point range between greater than 520 and 610°F.

[0092] As used herein, “light vacuum gas oil” or “LVGO” refers to a light gas oil produced by the vacuum distillation unit.

[0093] As used herein, the term “heavy gas oil” or “HGO” refers to a specific portion of a gas oil cut in a refinery having a boiling point range between greater than 610 and 800°F.

[0094] As used herein, “heavy vacuum gas oil” or “HVGO” refers to a heavy gas oil produced by the vacuum distillation unit.

[0095] As used herein, the term “vacuum gas oil” or “VGO” refers to a specific portion of a gas oil cut in a refinery having a boiling point range between greater than 800 and 1050°F. Vacuum gas oil is separated from the initial crude oil using a vacuum distillation column operated at a pressure below atmospheric pressure.

[0096] As used herein, the term “residue” or “resid” refers to the heaviest cut from a distillation column in a refinery and having a boiling point range between greater than 1050°F.

[0097] As used herein, the term “vacuum resid” refers to a resid product from the vacuum distillation column.

[0098] As used herein, the term “atmospheric resid” refers to a resid product from the atmospheric distillation column. [0099] As used herein, the term “gas oil cracker” refers to a cracking unit for processing a feed stream comprising predominantly gas oil and heavier components. Although a gas oil cracker can process lighter components, such as distillate and naphtha, at least 50 weight percent of the total feed to a gas oil cracker includes gas oil and heavier components. Gas oil crackers may be operated at temperatures of at least 350°F, at least 400°F, at least 450°F, at least 500°F, at least 550°F, or at least 600°F and/or not more than 1200°F, not more than 1150°C, not more than 1100°F, not more than 1050°F, not more than 1000°F, not more than 900°F, or not more than 800°F. Gas oil crackers may be operated at or near atmospheric pressure (e.g., at a pressure of less than 5 psig, less than 2 psig, or 1 psig) or may be operated at elevated pressure (e.g., at a pressure of at least 5 psig, at least 10 psig, at least 25 psig, at least 50 psig, at least 100 psig, at least 250 psig, at least 500 psig, or at least 750 psig.) Additionally, the cracking in gas oil crackers may be carried with or without a catalyst, and it may or may not be conducted in the presence of hydrogen and/or steam.

[0100] As used herein, the term “distillation” refers to separation of a mixture of components by boiling point difference.

[0101] As used herein, the term “atmospheric distillation” refers to distillation performed at a pressure at or near atmospheric, usually to separate crude oil and/or other streams into specified fractions for further processing.

[0102] As used herein, the term “vacuum distillation” refers to distillation performed at a pressure below atmospheric and, usually, at a pressure of less than 100 mm Hg at the top of the column.

[0103] As used herein, the term “aromatics complex” refers to a process or facility in which a mixed hydrocarbon feedstock, such as a reformate, is converted into one or more benzene, toluene, and/or xylene (BTX) product streams, such as a para-xylene product stream. The aromatics complex may comprise one or more processing steps, in which one or more components of the reformate are subjected to at least one of a separation step, a transalkylating step, a toluene disproportionation step, and/or an isomerization step. The separation step can comprise one or more of an extraction step, a distillation step, a crystallization step, and/or an adsorption step.

[0104] As used herein, the term “raffinate” refers to the aromatics-depleted stream removed from the initial separation step in the aromatics complex. Although most commonly used to refer to a stream withdrawn from an extraction step, the term “raffinate” as used with respect to the aromatics complex can also refer to a stream withdrawn from another type of separation, including, but not limited to, distillation or extractive distillation.

[0105] As used herein, the terms “recycled content pyrolysis oil” or “r-pyoil” refers to a composition that is directly or indirectly derived from pyrolysis of a waste plastic that is liquid at 25°C and 1 atm, absolute.

[0106] As used herein, the terms “pyrolysis gas” and “pygas” refer to a composition obtained from pyrolysis that is gaseous at 25°C and 1 atm, absolute.

[0107] As used herein, the term “pyrolysis” refers to thermal decomposition of one or more organic materials at elevated temperatures in an inert (i.e. , substantially oxygen free) atmosphere.

[0108] As used herein, the term “pyrolysis vapor” refers to the overhead or vapor-phase stream withdrawn from the separator in a pyrolysis facility used to remove r-pyrolysis residue from the r-pyrolysis effluent.

[0109] As used herein, the term “pyrolysis effluent” refers to the outlet stream withdrawn from the pyrolysis reactor in a pyrolysis facility.

[0110] As used herein, the term “r-pyrolysis residue” refers to a composition obtained from waste plastic pyrolysis that comprises predominantly pyrolysis char and pyrolysis heavy waxes.

[0111] As used herein, the term “pyrolysis char” refers to a carbon- containing composition obtained from pyrolysis that is solid at 200°C and 1 atm, absolute. [0112] As used herein, the term “pyrolysis gasoline” refers to a hydrocarbon stream of predominantly C5 and heavier components removed from a quench section of a steam cracking facility. Typically, pyrolysis gasoline includes at least 10 weight percent of C6 to C9 aromatics.

[0113] As used herein, the term “pyrolysis heavy waxes” refers to C20+ hydrocarbons obtained from pyrolysis that are not pyrolysis char, pyrolysis gas, or pyrolysis oil.

[0114] As used herein, the term “kerosene” refers to a physical mixture of hydrocarbon components separated in at least one distillation column of a refining facility that has a boiling point range between 300 to 525°F and is comprised of predominantly C10 to C16 hydrocarbons.

[0115] As used herein, the term “diesel oil” refers to a physical mixture of hydrocarbon components separated in at least one distillation column of a refining facility that has a boiling point range between 392 to 662°F and is comprised predominantly of C9 to C25 hydrocarbons.

[0116] As used herein, the term “naphthenes” refer to monocyclic saturated hydrocarbon compounds, also known as cycloalkanes, having the general formula CnH _2n .

[0117] As used herein, the term “cycloparaffins” refer to larger cycloalkanes generally comprising C20+ cycloalkane compounds.

[0118] As used herein, the term “lighter” refers to a hydrocarbon component or fraction having a lower boiling point than another hydrocarbon component or fraction.

[0119] As used herein, the term “heavier” refers to a hydrocarbon component or fraction having a higher boiling point than another hydrocarbon component or fraction.

[0120] As used herein, the term “upstream” refers to an item of facility that is positioned prior to another item or facility in a given process flow and may include intervening items and/or facilities. [0121] As used herein, the term “downstream” refers to an item or facility that is positioned after another item or facility in a given process flow and may include intervening items and/or facilities.

[0122] As used herein, the term “alkane” refers to a saturated hydrocarbon including no carbon-carbon double bonds.

[0123] As used herein, the term “olefin” refers to an at least partially unsaturated hydrocarbon including at least one carbon-carbon double bond.

[0124] As used herein, the terms “Cx” or “Cx hydrocarbon” or “Cx component” refers to a hydrocarbon compound including “x” total carbons per molecule, and encompasses all olefins, paraffins, aromatics, heterocyclic, and isomers having that number of carbon atoms. For example, each of normal, iso, and tert-butane and butene and butadiene molecules would fall under the general description “C4” or “C4 components.”

[0125] As used herein, the terms “r-para-xylene” or “r-pX” refer to being or comprising a para-xylene product that is directly and/or indirectly derived from waste plastic.

[0126] As used herein, the term “cracking” refers to breaking down complex organic molecules into simpler molecules by the breaking of carbon-carbon bonds.

[0127] As used herein, the term “steam cracking” refers to thermal cracking of hydrocarbons in the presence of steam, usually performed in a furnace of the steam cracking facility.

[0128] As used herein, the term “co-located” refers to the characteristic of at least two objects being situated on a common physical site, and/or within five miles of each other, measured as a straight-line distance between two designated points.

[0129] As used herein, the term “commercial scale facility” refers to a facility having an average annual feed rate of at least 500 pounds per hour, averaged over one year. [0130] As used herein, the terms “crude” and “crude oil” refer to a mixture of hydrocarbons that exists in liquid phase and is derived from natural underground reservoirs.

[0131] As used herein, the terms “recycle content” and “r-content” refer to being or comprising a composition that is directly and/or indirectly derived from waste plastic.

[0132] As used herein, the term “predominantly” means more than 50 percent by weight. For example, a predominantly propane stream, composition, feedstock, or product is a stream, composition, feedstock, or product that contains more than 50 weight percent propane.

[0133] As used herein, the term “waste material” refers to used, scrap, and/or discarded material.

[0134] As used herein, the terms “waste plastic” and “plastic waste” refer to used, scrap, and/or discarded plastic materials.

[0135] As used herein, the terms “mixed plastic waste” and “MPW” refer to a mixture of at least two types of waste plastics including, but not limited to the following plastic types: polyethylene terephthalate (PET), one or more polyolefins (PO), and polyvinylchloride (PVC).

[0136] As used herein, the term “fluid communication” refers to the direct or indirect fluid connection between two or more processing, storage, or transportation facilities or zones.

[0137] As used herein, the terms “a,” “an,” and “the” mean one or more.

[0138] As used herein, the term “and/or,” when used in a list of two or more items, means that any one of the listed items can be employed by itself or any combination of two or more of the listed items can be employed. For example, if a composition is described as containing components A, B, and/or C, the composition can contain A alone; B alone; C alone; A and B in combination; A and C in combination, B and C in combination; or A, B, and C in combination.

[0139] As used herein, the phrase “at least a portion” includes at least a portion and up to and including the entire amount or time period. [0140] As used herein, the term “chemical recycling” refers to a waste plastic recycling process that includes a step of chemically converting waste plastic polymers into lower molecular weight polymers, oligomers, monomers, and/or non-polymeric molecules (e.g., hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, ethane, propane, ethylene, and propylene) that are useful by themselves and/or are useful as feedstocks to another chemical production process(es).

[0141] As used herein, the terms “comprising,” “comprises,” and “comprise” are open-ended transition terms used to transition from a subject recited before the term to one or more elements recited after the term, where the element or elements listed after the transition term are not necessarily the only elements that make up the subject.

[0142] As used herein, the term “cracking” refers to breaking down complex organic molecules into simpler molecules by the breaking of carbon-carbon bonds.

[0143] As used herein, the terms “including,” “include,” and “included” have the same open-ended meaning as “comprising,” “comprises,” and “comprise” provided above.

[0144] As used herein, the term “predominantly” means more than 50 percent by weight. For example, a predominantly propane stream, composition, feedstock, or product is a stream, composition, feedstock, or product that contains more than 50 weight percent propane.

[0145] As used herein, the term “chemical pathway” refers to the chemical processing step or steps (e.g., chemical reactions, physical separations, etc.) between an input material and a product, where the input material is used to make the product.

[0146] As used herein, the terms “credit-based recycled content,” “nonphysical recycled content,” and “indirect recycled content” all refer to matter that is not physically traceable back to a waste material, but to which a recycled content credit has been attributed. [0147] As used herein, the term “directly derived” refers to having at least one physical component originating from waste material.

[0148] As used herein, the term “indirectly derived” refers to having an applied recycled content (i) that is attributable to waste material, but (ii) that is not based on having a physical component originating from waste material.

[0149] As used herein, the term “located remotely” refers to a distance of at least 0.1 , 0.5, 1 , 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, or 1000 miles between two facilities, sites, or reactors.

[0150] As used herein, the term “mass balance” refers to a method of tracing recycled content based on the mass of the recycled content in a product.

[0151] As used herein, the terms “physical recycled content” and “direct recycled content” both refer to matter physically present in a product and that is physically traceable back to a waste material.

[0152] As used herein, the term “recycled content” refers to being or comprising a composition that is directly and/or indirectly derived from recycled waste material. Recycled content is used generically to refer to both physical recycled content and credit-based recycled content. Recycled content is also used as an adjective to describe a product having physical recycled content and/or credit-based recycled content.

[0153] As used herein, the term “recycled content credit” refers to a nonphysical measure of physical recycled content obtained from a mass of waste plastic that can be directly or indirectly (i.e., via a digital inventory) attributed to a second material.

[0154] As used herein, the term “total recycled content” refers to the cumulative amount of physical recycled content and credit-based recycled content from all sources.

[0155] As used herein, the term “waste material” refers to used, scrap, and/or discarded material. [0156] As used herein, the terms “waste plastic” and “plastic waste” refer to used, scrap, and/or discarded plastic materials, including post-industrial or pre-consumer waste plastic and post-consumer waste plastic.

[0157] As used herein, the term "hydrocarbon" refers to an organic chemical compound that includes only carbon and hydrogen atoms.

[0158] As used herein, the term “organic chemical compound,” refers to a chemical compound that includes carbon and hydrogen atoms, but also includes oxygen and/or nitrogen atoms.

[0159] As used herein, the term “unsaturated gas plant” refers to a gas plant in a refinery for processing a hydrocarbon feed stream comprising saturated hydrocarbons (alkanes) and unsaturated hydrocarbons (olefins). The feed stream to an unsaturated gas plant includes at least 5 weight percent of olefins, based on the total feed to the plant. The feed to a saturated gas plant in a refinery may come indirectly from the crude unit or vacuum distillation unit and may undergo one or more cracking steps prior to entering the gas plant.

[0160] As used herein, the term “hydrotreating” refers to a type of hydroprocessing that does not crack the hydrocarbon molecules, but instead removes oxygen, sulfur, and other heteroatoms by hydrogenolysis or to saturate unsaturated bonds by hydrogenation. It may or may not be carried out in the presence of a catalyst.

[0161] As used herein, the term “hydroprocessing” refers to chemical processing of a hydrocarbon stream with or in the presence of hydrogen. Hydroprocessing is typically a catalytic process and includes hydrocracking and hydrotreating.

[0162] As used herein, the term “hydroprocessing unit” refers to a set of equipment, including reaction vessels, a drier, and a main fractionator, as well as ancillary equipment such as pipes, valves, compressors, and pumps, for chemically processing a hydrocarbon stream in the presence of hydrogen. Specific examples of hydroprocessing units include a hydrocracker (or hydrocracking unit) configured to carry out a hydrocracking process and a hydrotreater (or hydrotreating unit) configured to carry out a hydrotreating process.

[0163] As used herein, the term “coker” or “coking unit” refers to a set of equipment, including reaction vessels, a drier, and a main fractionator, as well as ancillary equipment such as pipes, valves, compressors, and pumps, for reducing the molecular weight of a heavy hydrocarbon stream via thermal cracking or coking.

[0164] As used herein, the terms “steam cracking facility” or “steam cracker” refer to all of the equipment needed to carry out the processing steps for thermally cracking a hydrocarbon feed stream in the presence of steam to form one or more cracked hydrocarbon products. Examples include, but are not limited to, olefins such as ethylene and propylene. The facility may include, for example, a steam cracking furnace, cooling equipment, compression equipment, separation equipment, as well as the pipes, valves, tanks, pumps, etc. needed to carry out the processing steps.

[0165] As used herein, the terms “refinery,” “refining facility,” and “petroleum refinery,” refer to all of the equipment needed to carry out the processing steps for separating and converting petroleum crude oil into multiple hydrocarbon fractions, one or more of which can be used as a fuel source, lube oil, bitumen, coke, and as an intermediate for other chemical products.” The facility may include, for example, separation equipment, thermal or catalytic cracking equipment, chemical reactors, and product blending equipment, as well as the pipes, valves, tanks, pumps, etc. needed to carry out the processing steps.

[0166] As used herein, the term “pyrolysis facility,” refers to all of the equipment needed to carry out the processing steps for pyrolyzing a hydrocarbon-containing feed stream, which can include or be waste plastic. The facility may include, for example, reactors, cooling equipment, and separation equipment, as well as the pipes, valves, tanks, pumps, etc. needed to carry out the processing steps. [0167] As used herein, the term “terephthalic acid production facility,” or “TPA production facility,” refers to all of the equipment needed to carry out the processing steps for forming terephthalic acid from paraxylene. The facility may include, for example, reactors, separators, cooling equipment, separation equipment such as filters or crystallizers, as well as the pipes, valves, tanks, pumps, etc. needed to carry out the processing steps.

[0168] As used herein, the term “polyethylene terephthalate production facility,” or “PET production facility,” refers to all of the equipment needed to carry out the processing steps for forming polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from a terephthalate, ethylene glycol, and, optionally, one or more additional monomers. The facility may include, for example, polymerization reactors, cooling equipment, and equipment to recover solidified and/or pelletized PET, as well as the pipes, valves, tanks, pumps, etc. needed to carry out the processing steps.

CLAIMS NOT LIMITED TO DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS

[0169] The preferred forms of the invention described above are to be used as illustration only and should not be used in a limiting sense to interpret the scope of the present invention. Modifications to the exemplary embodiments, set forth above, could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0170] The inventors hereby state their intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of the present invention as it pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.