Patents Assigned to Catalytic Distillation Technologies
  • Patent number: 7547810
    Abstract: A catalyst useful for multi-phase reactors that includes an active component surrounded by a coating on a surface of the active component, wherein the coating provides a liquid film around the active component to increase the useful life of the active component as compared to an uncoated active component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventor: Christopher C. Boyer
  • Publication number: 20090105513
    Abstract: A process for the alkylation of isobutane is disclosed wherein isobutane is fed to two separate alkylation systems. The effluent from the first alkylation system is fed to an interim debutanizer where the C4's are separated from the alkylate product. The overhead C4 product is then fed to the second alkylation system to provide the isobutane. The effluent from the second alkylation system is fed to a traditional deisobutanizer to prevent any build up of normal butanes in the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: CATALYTIC DISTILLATION TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Smith, JR., William M. Cross, JR.
  • Publication number: 20090076312
    Abstract: A process for the conversion of tertiary butyl alcohol to ethyl tertiary butyl ether, including: dehydrating tertiary butyl alcohol to form a product stream comprising isobutylene and water; separating the product stream to form an isobutylene-rich fraction and a water-rich fraction; separating the water-rich fraction to recover a hydrocarbon fraction and a water fraction having less than 1 ppm hydrocarbon content; reacting isobutylene in the isobutylene-rich fraction with ethanol to form a reaction product comprising ethyl tertiary butyl ether; separating the reaction product to recover unreacted ethanol and an ethyl tertiary butyl ether stream; and recycling at least a portion of the unreacted ethanol to the reacting; wherein the ethyl tertiary butyl ether stream comprises at least 99 weight percent ethyl tertiary butyl ether.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventors: Mitchell E. Loescher, Lawrence A. Smith, JR.
  • Publication number: 20090069607
    Abstract: A process for the production of dialkyl ether, the process including: feeding a stream comprising an alkyl alcohol to a distillation column reactor system; concurrently in the distillation column reactor system: i) contacting the alkyl alcohol with a catalytic distillation structure in a distillation reaction zone thereby catalytically reacting at least a portion of the alkyl alcohol to form a corresponding dialkyl ether and water; and ii) fractionating the resulting dialkyl ether from the water; operating the distillation column reactor system to obtain substantially complete conversion of the alkyl alcohol to form the corresponding dialkyl ether and water; recovering the dialkyl ether from the distillation column reactor as an overheads fraction; recovering the water from the distillation column reactor as a bottoms fraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Smith, JR., Abraham P. Gelbein, Christopher C. Boyer
  • Patent number: 7501549
    Abstract: An integrated process for the isolation of benzene contained within a fluid catalytically cracked naphtha is disclosed wherein a C6 fraction containing a benzene concentrate is subjected to etherification with alcohol (e.g. methanol and/or ethanol) to convert the C6 isoolefins to ethers which are separated by fractional distillation. If desired the ethers may be dissociated to the isoolefins and alcohol. The remaining material in the benzene concentrate may then be treated to remove olefins and organic sulfur compounds so that the benzene may be removed by solvent extraction. Alternatively the benzene in the remaining material may be subjected to hydrogenation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventors: Gary G. Podrebarac, Richard Foley
  • Patent number: 7494584
    Abstract: An energy efficient process scheme for a highly exothermic reaction-distillation system in which the reactor is external to the distillation column and the feed to the reactor is a mixture of at least one liquid product stream from the distillation column with or without other liquid/vapor reactants. The reactor is operated under adiabatic and boiling point conditions and at a pressure that results in vaporizing a portion of the liquid flow through the reactor due to the heat of reaction. Under these conditions, reaction temperature is controlled by reactor pressure. The pressure (and hence the temperature) is maintained at a sufficiently high level such that the reactor effluent can be efficiently used to provide reboil heat for the distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventors: Arvids Judzis, Abraham P. Gelbein, John R. Adams, Christopher C. Boyer
  • Patent number: 7488861
    Abstract: Cumene and secondary butyl benzene are produced simultaneously in a distillation column reactor by feeding propylene, butylene and benzene to the reactor. Unreacted benzene is removed as overheads and cumene and secondary butyl benzene are removed as products. The catalysts used are acid cation exchange resins, zeolites, particularly beta zeolite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventors: Christopher C. Boyer, Mitchell E. Loescher
  • Publication number: 20090020457
    Abstract: A catalyst useful for multi-phase reactors that includes an active component surrounded by a coating on a surface of the active component, wherein the coating provides a liquid film around the active component to increase the useful life of the active component as compared to an uncoated active component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Applicant: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventor: Christopher C. Boyer
  • Publication number: 20090023969
    Abstract: A catalyst useful for multi-phase reactors that includes an active component surrounded by a coating on a surface of the active component, wherein the coating provides a liquid film around the active component to increase the useful life of the active component as compared to an uncoated active component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Applicant: CATALYTIC DISTILLATION TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventor: Christopher C. Boyer
  • Patent number: 7476637
    Abstract: A catalyst useful for multi-phase reactors that includes an active component surrounded by a coating on a surface of the active component, wherein the coating provides a liquid film around the active component to increase the useful life of the active component as compared to an uncoated active component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventor: Christopher C. Boyer
  • Patent number: 7449612
    Abstract: A process for the alkylation of isobutane is disclosed wherein isobutane is fed to two separate alkylation systems. The effluent from the first alkylation system is fed to an interim debutanizer where the C4's are separated from the alkylate product. The overhead C4 product is then fed to the second alkylation system to provide the isobutane. The effluent from the second alkylation system is fed to a traditional deisobutanizer to prevent any build up of normal butanes in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Smith, Jr., William M. Cross, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7431827
    Abstract: A process for the production of low sulfur, low olefin gasoline wherein a cracked naphtha, such as a full boiling range cracked naphtha, is first separated by fractional distillation into at least two fractions while simultaneously selectively hydrogenating the polyunsaturated compounds contained therein. The mono olefins in the light fraction are then subjected to etherification with alcohol to produce ethers or hydration with water to produce alcohols. The heavy fraction is subjected to sulfur removal by hydrodesulfurization or chemisorption. The two fractions are then combined to produce a low sulfur, low olefin gasoline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventors: Kerry L. Rock, Yi-Gang Xiong, Arvids Judzis, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7410555
    Abstract: A process for reacting a first component with itself or a second component to produce a third component in which a first material comprising a first component or said first component and a second component is fed to divided wall column having a catalytic distillation structure in at least one of the separate vertical sections of the divided wall column where concurrently: (1) a first component alone or with a second component is contacted with a catalytic distillation structure in a distillation reaction zone thereby catalytically reacting at least a portion of the first component with itself or with the second component to form a product and (2) a first mixture comprising the first component and the product or the first component, the second component and the product; and withdrawing the product from the distillation column reactor; while within the column concurrently with the catalytic reaction and fractionation a second mixture is fractionated, which contains the first component and the product or first a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventors: Willibrord A. Groten, Mario J. Maraschino
  • Patent number: 7408090
    Abstract: Acetylenes and dienes in a stream containing hydrogen, methane, C2-C6 olefins and paraffins, C2-C6 acetylenes and dienes, benzene, toluene, xylenes, and other C6+ components are hydrogenated in a downflow boiling point reactor wherein the heat of reaction is absorbed by the liquid in the reactor which produces a vapor. Besides the feed to the reactor there is a recirculating stream which is fed at a rate sufficient to ensure that the catalyst particles within the reactor are wetted. A third stream, which is provided from a second downstream liquid/vapor separator from partially condensed vapor from the first downstream liquid/vapor separator corresponding to the mass evaporated in the reactor, is fed to the reactor. The composition of the third stream controls the steady state composition of the liquid flowing through the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Smith, Jr., Abraham P. Gelbein
  • Patent number: 7408089
    Abstract: More selective and efficient Ni hydrotreating catalysts are those which contain more than about 60% of the Ni content on the peripheral surface of porous supports, such as extruded alumina, which may be obtained by spraying an atomized solution of a Ni compound onto the support and drying it at a temperature in the range of from 200 to 600° C. When used, for example, to remove acetylenic compounds from butadiene streams, higher recovery of the desired butadiene with lower acetylenic content and low heavy polymer deposition is obtained than was possible with prior catalysts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventor: J. Yong Ryu
  • Publication number: 20080139383
    Abstract: A catalyst useful for hydrogenation of aromatic compounds to produce hydrogenated cyclic compound, the catalyst comprising from 4 to 10 wt. % Ni and 0.2 up to about 0.9 wt. % Cu deposited on a transition alumina support having a BET surface area from about 40 to 180 m2/g and pore volume from about 0.3 to about 0.8 cc/g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: CATALYTIC DISTILLATION TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventor: J. Yong Ryu
  • Publication number: 20080132404
    Abstract: A process for producing various organic carbonates by performing transesterification and disproportionation reactions in dual vapor/liquid phase mode preferably in the presence of solid catalyst composition selected from the group consisting of oxides, hydroxides, oxyhydroxides or alkoxides of two to four elements from Group IV, V and VI of the Periodic Table supported on porous material which has surface hydroxyl groups and the method of reactivating catalyst deactivated by polymer deposition by contacting the deactivated catalyst with a solution of hydroxy containing compound in a solvent such as benzene or THF.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: CATALYTIC DISTILLATION TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventor: J. Yong Ryu
  • Patent number: 7378540
    Abstract: A process for producing various organic carbonates by performing transesterification and disproportionation reactions in dual vapor/liquid phase mode preferably in the presence of solid catalyst composition selected from the group consisting of oxides, hydroxides, oxyhydroxides or alkoxides of two to four elements from Group IV, V and VI of the Periodic Table supported on porous material which has surface hydroxyl groups and the method of reactivating catalyst deactivated by polymer deposition by contacting the deactivated catalyst with a solution of hydroxy containing compound in a solvent such as benzene or THF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventor: J. Yong Ryu
  • Publication number: 20080118642
    Abstract: More selective and efficient Ni hydrotreating catalysts are those which contain more than about 60% of the Ni content on the peripheral surface of porous supports, such as extruded alumina, which may be obtained by spraying an atomized solution of a Ni compound onto the support and drying it at a temperature in the range of from 200 to 600° C. When used, for example, to remove acetylenic compounds from butadiene streams, higher recovery of the desired butadiene with lower acetylenic content and low heavy polymer deposition is obtained than was possible with prior catalysts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: CATALYTIC DISTILLATION TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventor: J. Yong Ryu
  • Publication number: 20080119354
    Abstract: More selective and efficient Ni hydrotreating catalysts are those which contain more than about 60% of the Ni content on the peripheral surface of porous supports, such as extruded alumina, which may be obtained by spraying an atomized solution of a Ni compound onto the support and drying it at a temperature in the range of from 200 to 600° C. When used, for example, to remove acetylenic compounds from butadiene streams, higher recovery of the desired butadiene with lower acetylenic content and low heavy polymer deposition is obtained than was possible with prior catalysts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: CATALYTIC DISTILLATION TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventor: J. Yong Ryu