Purification Or Recovery Per Se Patents (Class 562/608)
  • Patent number: 10954182
    Abstract: Provided are processes and products of manufacture that provide a green solution to the hydrolysis of C8/C10 methyl ester to fatty acids. Provided are reactive distillation processes for producing an aliphatic acid and an alcohol as hydrolysis products. Provided are processes and products of manufacture encompassing the hydrolysis of fatty acid alkyl esters to an aliphatic acid and an alcohol by a reactive distillation process. Provided are processes and products of manufacture useful for equilibrium-limited reactions and for the separation of azeotropic mixtures. Provided are reactive distillation products of manufacture and processes for alkyl alkanoate hydrolysis comprising a reaction column comprising a rectifying rectifying zone for further distillation, a reaction zone, and a stripping zone wherein products are separated from reaction mixtures, where a water stream and fatty acid alkyl ester stream can be fed into the reaction section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Inventure Renewables, Inc.
    Inventors: William Rusty Sutterlin, Ryan Alexander Long, Cory O'Neil Blanchard, Hayden Sawyer
  • Patent number: 10919787
    Abstract: A method for recovering water from purified terephthalic acid production wastewater includes: producing purified terephthalic acid comprising purified terephthalic acid feedstock and wastewater comprising impurities; separating the purified terephthalic acid feedstock from the wastewater comprising impurities; transferring the wastewater to a tank; adjusting the p H of the wastewater with a basic solution; adjusting the temperature of the wastewater; passing the wastewater to a column; contacting the wastewater with an ion exchange resin to remove the impurities; and recovering the water depleted of impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: SABIC GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Roy Van Lier, Syed Azhar Hashmi, Vadlamani Prasad Rao Chaitanya, Sandeep P. Mohandas, Muhammad Mosleh Al-Subhi, Lee Sangjoo, Hasan Mohammed Rashad Haneef
  • Patent number: 10885213
    Abstract: The configuration of a firewall on an endpoint is secured to prevent changes by unauthorized processes, while permitting changes that are requested by authorized processes. Authorized processes can be stored in a tamper protection cache within a kernel of the operating system of the endpoint and secured with reference to a trust authority external to the operating system. When a process on the endpoint requests a change to the firewall configuration, the requesting process can be checked against the processes listed in the tamper protection cache, and any suitable rules can be applied to limit or prevent changes to firewall configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Sophos Limited
    Inventor: Richard S. Teal
  • Patent number: 10793502
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of purifying acetic acid. The method comprises passing a feed stream comprising acetic acid through a distillation column; contacting the acetic acid with a permanganate oxidizing agent and hydrogen gas within the distillation column; withdrawing an acetic acid product from the distillation column; and withdrawing a gaseous product stream from a top portion of the distillation column, wherein the gaseous product stream comprises ethane, methane, carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: SABIC GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Mohammed H. Al-Hazmi, Shahid Azam
  • Patent number: 10787412
    Abstract: Disclosed is the integration of the production of acetic anhydride from ketene, and the acetylation of wood using acetylation fluid comprising acetic acid and acetic anhydride. The invention involves recirculating acetylation fluid recovered from wood acetylation to a unit for the production of acetic anhydride from acetic acid and ketene. The acetic anhydride product stream can, in turn, be directly used as a wood acetylation fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Tricoya Technologies Ltd
    Inventors: Stephen John Benstead, Benjamin Thomas Painter
  • Patent number: 10710952
    Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid is disclosed in which the methyl iodide concentration is maintained in the vapor product stream formed in a flashing step. The methyl iodide concentration in the vapor product stream ranges from 24 to less than 36 wt. % methyl iodide, based on the weight of the vapor product stream. In addition, the acetaldehyde concentration is maintained within the range from 0.005 to 1 wt. % in the vapor product stream. The vapor product stream is distilled in a first column to obtain an acetic acid product stream comprising acetic acid and up to 300 wppm hydrogen iodide and/or from 0.1 to 6 wt. % methyl iodide and an overhead stream comprising methyl iodide, water and methyl acetate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald D. Shaver, Yaw-Hwa Liu, Mark O. Scates
  • Patent number: 10661196
    Abstract: A process for separating or removing permanganate reducing compounds (PRC's) from a first mixture containing at least one PRC, methyl iodide, and water comprises the steps of: feeding the first mixture to a feed port of a distillation column, and distilling and separating the first mixture into an upper stream and a lower stream, wherein the distillation of the first mixture forms a second mixture at an upper position than the feed port, and the process further comprises the steps of: withdrawing the second mixture as the upper stream, and withdrawing the lower stream from a lower position than the feed port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: DAICEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiko Shimizu, Yoshihisa Mizutani, Hiroyuki Miura
  • Patent number: 10590009
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treating a waste water stream. Said waste water comprises hydrocarbons and oxygenates such as alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, and has a COD of up to 5 wt %. The invention relates to a distillation column for treating a waste water stream and a system for treating a waste water stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: SHELL OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Kai Jürgen Fischer, Matthias Behn
  • Patent number: 10183905
    Abstract: A method produces acetic acid and includes a reaction step, a first purification step, a second purification step, and a third purification step. In the reaction step, a material mixture including methanol, carbon monoxide, a catalyst, and an iodide is subjected to a methanol carbonylation reaction in a reactor (1) to form acetic acid. In the first purification step, a crude acetic acid stream including acetic acid formed in the reaction step is subjected to distillation in a distillation column (3) to give a first acetic acid stream enriched with acetic acid. In the second purification step, the first acetic acid stream is subjected to distillation in a distillation column (5) to give a second acetic acid stream further enriched with acetic acid. In the third purification step, an acetic acid stream is subjected to purification in an additional purification unit (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: DAICEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiko Shimizu, Nobuyuki Hirabayashi, Yoshihisa Mizutani
  • Patent number: 10099990
    Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid is disclosed in which the methyl iodide concentration is maintained in the vapor product stream formed in a flashing step. The methyl iodide concentration in the vapor product stream ranges from 24 to less than 36 wt. % methyl iodide, based on the weight of the vapor product stream. In addition, the acetaldehyde concentration is maintained within the range from 0.005 to 1 wt. % in the vapor product stream. The vapor product stream is distilled in a first column to obtain an acetic acid product stream comprising acetic acid and up to 300 wppm hydrogen iodide and/or from 0.1 to 6 wt. % methyl iodide and an overhead stream comprising methyl iodide, water and methyl acetate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ronald D. Shaver, Yaw-Hwa Liu, Mark O. Scates
  • Patent number: 9676694
    Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid is disclosed in which the water concentration is controlled in the side stream between two columns. Controlling the water concentration by the liquid light phase recycle controls the hydrogen iodide concentration in the side stream to be less than 50 wppm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ronald D. Shaver, Yaw-Hwa Liu, Mark O. Scates
  • Patent number: 9561994
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a carbonylation process for producing acetic acid which includes separating a vapor product stream from a carbonylation reactor to produce a crude acid product comprising acetic acid comprising lithium cations and contacting the crude acetic acid product with a cationic exchanger in the acid form within a first treatment device to produce an intermediate acid product; and contacting the intermediate acetic acid product with a metal-exchanged ion exchange resin having acid cation exchange sites within a second treatment device to produce a purified acetic acid. Embodiments directed to operation of a treatment device comprising a plurality of sampling ports are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ronald David Shaver, Yaw-Haw Liu, Mark O Scates, Sarah Lane Abrego
  • Patent number: 9409163
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is to an ion exchange resin composition comprising a metal-functionalized exchange resin comprising from 3% to 94% metal-functionalized active sites; and a non-metal-functionalized exchange resin comprising non-metal-functionalized active sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ronald D. Shaver, Greg Blanchard, Brian W. Hokkanen, G. Paull Torrence
  • Patent number: 9382186
    Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid is disclosed in which the water concentration is controlled in the side stream between two columns. Controlling the water concentration by the liquid light phase recycle controls the hydrogen iodide concentration in the side stream to be less than or equal to 50 wppm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ronald D. Shaver, Yaw-Hwa Liu, Mark O. Scates
  • Patent number: 9302975
    Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid is disclosed in which the methyl iodide concentration is maintained in the vapor product stream formed in a flashing step. The methyl iodide concentration in the vapor product stream ranges from 24 to less than 36 wt. % methyl iodide, based on the weight of the vapor product stream. In addition, the acetaldehyde concentration is maintained within the range from 0.005 to 1 wt. % in the vapor product stream. The vapor product stream is distilled in a first column to obtain an acetic acid product stream comprising acetic acid and up to 300 wppm hydrogen iodide and/or from 0.1 to 6 wt. % methyl iodide and an overhead stream comprising methyl iodide, water and methyl acetate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald D. Shaver, Yaw-Hwa Liu, Mark O. Scates
  • Patent number: 9156768
    Abstract: The present process separates acrylic acid from a composition containing acrylic acid and at least one accompanying product. The process first involves contacting the composition with an aqueous liquid stream to give a liquid solution of acrylic acid, accompanying product, and water. The water then forms an azeotrope with an entrainer, which is added to the solution. Distillation then separates the solution into an overhead product containing the azeotrope and a bottom product containing acrylic acid and accompanying product. The overhead product is separated into water and entrainer and the bottom product is separated in a distillation column into acrylic acid and accompanying product. The process provides a way to remove high- and low-boiling products with a small number of distillation columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Evonik Degussa GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Meier, Juergen Mosler
  • Patent number: 9149786
    Abstract: An iodine adsorbent of an embodiment includes: a carrier modified with a functional group represented by a formula (1); and a silver ion supported on the carrier, where R1 is a polyol group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Arisa Yamada, Yumiko Sekiguchi, Hideyuki Tsuji
  • Patent number: 9056825
    Abstract: This invention relates to processes for producing acetic acid and, in particular, to improved processes for recovering C2+ alkyl halides and removing permanganate reducing compounds formed during the carbonylation of methanol in the presence of a Group VIII metal carbonylation catalyst to produce acetic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: G. Paull Torrence, Raymond Zinobile, Oyeyemi Oyerinde
  • Patent number: 9018417
    Abstract: A process is provided for recovering aliphatic monocarboxylic acids having from 4 to 11 carbon atoms from the distillation residue obtained in the oxidation of the corresponding aldehyde by means of oxygen or oxygen-containing gas mixtures in the presence of alkali metal carboxylates or alkaline earth metal carboxylates to form the corresponding monocarboxylic acid and subsequent distillation, characterized in that the distillation residue is reacted with an aqueous acid in a tube reactor and the two-phase mixture flowing out from the tube reactor is introduced into a settling vessel in which the organic phase which separates out has a pH of 4.5 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Oxea GmbH
    Inventors: Guido D. Frey, Jörg Arnold, Wolfgang Höfs, Matthias Kramer, Thomas Müller, Heinz Strutz
  • Patent number: 8987512
    Abstract: A carbonylation process for producing acetic acid including: (a) carbonylating methanol or its reactive derivatives in the presence of a Group VIII metal catalyst and methyl iodide promoter to produce a liquid reaction mixture including acetic acid, water, methyl acetate and methyl iodide; (b) feeding the liquid reaction mixture at a feed temperature to a flash vessel which is maintained at a reduced pressure; (c) heating the flash vessel while concurrently flashing the reaction mixture to produce a crude product vapor stream, wherein the reaction mixture is selected and the flow rate of the reaction mixture fed to the flash vessel as well as the amount of heat supplied to the flash vessel is controlled such that the temperature of the crude product vapor stream is maintained at a temperature less than 90° F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventor: Jeremy J. Patt
  • Patent number: 8987509
    Abstract: A process for recovering a volatile carboxylic acid from an aqueous stream containing same comprising the steps of: (a) evaporating the aqueous stream to produce a vapour stream comprising the volatile carboxylic acid that has been vapourized and water vapour, which aqueous stream is produced by a conversion process using a lignocellulosic feedstock as a substrate; (b) contacting the vapour stream with an organic solvent so as to extract the volatile carboxylic acid present in the vapour stream, thereby producing a liquid stream comprising the organic solvent and the volatile carboxylic acid, and a water vapour stream, wherein the organic solvent has an atmospheric boiling point of at least about 150° C. and is insoluble in water; and (c) separating the volatile carboxylic acid from the organic solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Iogen Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Tolan, Brian Foody, Vijay Anand, Daphne Wahnon
  • Patent number: 8981146
    Abstract: A process for recovering a volatile carboxylic acid from an aqueous stream comprising same, the process comprising the steps of: (i) steam stripping the carboxylic acid from the aqueous stream, which aqueous stream is produced by a conversion process using a lignocellulosic feedstock as a substrate, the steam stripping comprising contacting the aqueous stream with steam by flowing the aqueous stream and the steam countercurrent to one another, thereby producing a vapor stream comprising vaporized carboxylic acid and steam and a stripped aqueous stream; (ii) extracting the vaporized carboxylic acid with an organic solvent by contacting the vapor stream with the organic solvent to produce (a) a stream comprising the organic solvent and the carboxylic acid and (b) the steam at least substantially depleted of the carboxylic acid, wherein the organic solvent has an atmospheric boiling point of at least about 150° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Iogen Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Tolan, Brian Foody, Vijay Anand
  • Publication number: 20150051423
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the recovery of acetic acid. The invention more particularly relates to a process comprising a stage of liquid/liquid extraction of an aqueous solution comprising acetic acid and to a stage of distillation of the extract obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: SOLVAY ACETOW GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Amoros, Mathias Brehelin, Andreas Hummel, Thomas Krumrey
  • Publication number: 20140378703
    Abstract: A carboxylic acid e.g. acetic acid, is recovered from an aqueous feed stream containing the corresponding ester, an alcohol and a small amount of water by catalytically dehydrating the alcohol to the corresponding ether and water, and reacting the water with the ester to generate a liquid carboxylic acid rich product stream. The acid is recovered by distillation. In a second embodiment, additional alcohol and/or water are co-fed with the feed or fed directly to a catalytic distillation column, resulting in a liquid bottom product stream of substantially pure acetic acid and a top distillate stream of substantially pure ether.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Kuang-Yeu WU, Pai-Yu Polly Chiang, Ji-Young Jang, Karl Tze-Tang Chuang
  • Patent number: 8912358
    Abstract: A method for removing hydrocarbon impurities from an acetic acid production intermediate is disclosed. The method comprises extracting the intermediate with a hydrocarbon extracting agent. The extraction is preferably performed with the alkane distillation bottom stream which comprises methyl iodide, acetic acid, and hydrocarbon impurities. The extraction forms a light phase which comprises the hydrocarbon impurity and the extracting agent and a heavy phase which comprises methyl iodide and acetic acid. The extraction heavy phase is optionally recycled to the alkane distillation or to the carbonylation reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: LyondellBasell Acetyls, LLC
    Inventors: Noel Hallinan, Brian A. Salisbury, Shao-hua Guo
  • Patent number: 8901350
    Abstract: Process for obtaining formic acid by thermal separation of a stream comprising formic acid and a tertiary amine (I), in which a liquid stream comprising formic acid and a tertiary amine (I) in a molar ratio of from 0.5 to 5 is produced by combining tertiary amine (I) and a formic acid source, from 10 to 100% by weight of the secondary components present therein are separated off and formic acid is removed by distillation in a distillation apparatus at a bottom temperature of from 100 to 300° C. and a pressure of from 30 to 3000 hPa abs from the liquid stream obtained, the bottom discharge from the distillation apparatus being separated into two liquid phases and the upper liquid phase being recycled to the formic acid source and the lower liquid phase being recycled for separating off the secondary components and/or to the distillation apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Daniel Schneider, Klaus-Dieter Mohl, Martin Schäfer, Karin Pickenäcker, Stefan Rittinger, Thomas Schaub, Joaquim Henrique Teles, Rocco Paciello, Gerd Kaibel
  • Publication number: 20140343320
    Abstract: Provided is a method of separating off reaction product water and recovering a carboxylic acid used as a solvent in a reactor from a reactor discharge during oxidation of an aromatic compound, and more particularly, a method of separating off reaction product water and recovering a carboxylic acid used as a solvent in a reactor from a reactor discharge during oxidation of an aromatic compound, wherein during the oxidation of the aromatic compound, the reactor discharge is led into two or more dehydration towers having different operating pressures such that a condenser of one dehydration tower operates as a reboiler of another dehydration tower, thereby remarkably reducing energy consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicants: AMTPACIFIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ki Joon Kang
  • Patent number: 8889904
    Abstract: Processes for the reduction and/or removal of permanganate reducing compounds (PRC'S) formed by the carbonylation of methanol in the presence of a Group VIII metal carbonylation catalyst to produce acetic acid are disclosed. More specifically, processes for reducing and/or removing PRC's or their precursors from intermediate streams during the formation of acetic acid by said carbonylation processes are disclosed. In particular, processes in which a low boiling overhead vapor stream from a light ends column is subjected to a distillation to obtain an overhead that is subjected to an extraction to selectively remove and/or reduce PRC's from the process is disclosed. The processes include steps of recycling one or more return streams derived from the distillation step and/or the extraction step to a light ends column and/or a drying column in order to improve water control in the overall reaction system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald David Shaver, Mark O. Scates, Raymond J. Zinobile
  • Patent number: 8859810
    Abstract: This invention relates to processes for producing acetic acid and, in particular, to improved processes for recovering permanganate reducing compounds formed during the carbonylation of methanol in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst to produce acetic acid. Alkyl halides are removed or reduced from the recovered permanganate reducing compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Glenn Golightly, Oyeyemi Oyerinde, Mark O. Scates, Ronald D. Shaver
  • Publication number: 20140275581
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement for separation and recovery of at least one carboxylic acid and furfural from a dilute aqueous mixture thereof. In the method of the present invention a dilute aqueous mixture comprising at least one carboxylic acid and furfural is extracted with methyltetrahydrofurane, and at least one carboxylic acid and furfural are recovered. The arrangement of the present invention comprises an extraction unit 302 for carrying out extraction of at least one carboxylic acid and furfural from dilute aqueous mixture with methyltetrahydrofuran, connected to distillation unit 307 for carrying out distillation of the extract 305 from the extraction unit 302, and connected to acids distillation unit 320 for carrying out distillation of the bottom stream 308 from the distillation unit 307 to separate at least one carboxylic acid and furfural.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: TAMINCO FINLAND
    Inventors: Esko Tirronen, Antero Laitinen, Jukka Hietala
  • Publication number: 20140256985
    Abstract: A method and plant for obtaining acetic acid and methanol from the hydrolysis of methyl acetate by reactive distillation is disclosed. The reactive distillation column is configured as a divided wall reactive distillation column (1). A feed containing water and methyl acetate are brought into contact with a catalyst in a reactive space (19) to perform the hydrolysis of water and methyl acetate to methanol and acetic acid. The reactive space comprises at least a first rectification zone (32), a first stripping zone (34) and a first reaction zone (33). A catalyst is provided in the first reaction zone (33). The column further comprises a product space (29) with at least a second rectification zone (42) and a second stripping zone (44). The second stripping zone (44) shares at least a portion of the column sump (38) with the first stripping zone (34).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Sulzer Chemtech AG
    Inventors: Stefan Sander, Laurent Zuber
  • Publication number: 20140221686
    Abstract: Improvement in separating lower carboxylic acids from aqueous streams via liquid-liquid extraction with pressurized liquefied propylene and/or propane, wherein carboxylic acid is transferred from the aqueous phase into the liquid solvent phase (extract). The extracted carboxylic acids are recovered as a liquid concentrate by evaporating off the propylene and/or propane solvent from the extract at mild temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Arkema Inc.
    Inventor: Steven G. Schon
  • Publication number: 20140221688
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for recovering a water-soluble complex mixture of organic compounds from an aqueous stream through extraction and/or through contact of the aqueous stream with a sorbent or sorbents selected from the group consisting of polymeric microreticular sorbent resins, zeolite-based adsorbents, clay-based adsorbents, activated carbon-based sorbents, and mixtures thereof; and including methods to recover the removed organic compounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: KIOR, Inc.
    Inventors: Maria Magdalena Ramirez Corredores, Xiaowei Tong, Rocio Maria Banda, Royce Roemisch
  • Patent number: 8785688
    Abstract: In a process for recovering acetic acid from a wood extract, an aqueous wood extract is provided that contains acetic acid and dissolved hemicellulose containing uronic acid. A water insoluble solvent containing an extractant for the acetic acid is also provided. In a preferred embodiment, the solvent is undecane and the extractant is trioctylphosphine oxide. The wood extract is contacted with the solvent and extractant in order to extract the acetic acid from the wood extract. The acetic acid is then recovered from the solvent and extractant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: University of Maine System Board of Trustees
    Inventors: Adriaan van Heiningen, Herbert Sixta, Byung-Hwan Um, Peter van Walsum
  • Patent number: 8771616
    Abstract: A carbonylation process for producing acetic acid including: (a) carbonylating methanol or its reactive derivatives in the presence of a Group VIII metal catalyst and methyl iodide promoter to produce a liquid reaction mixture including acetic acid, water, methyl acetate and methyl iodide; (b) feeding the liquid reaction mixture at a feed temperature to a flash vessel which is maintained at a reduced pressure; (c) heating the flash vessel while concurrently flashing the reaction mixture to produce a crude product vapor stream, wherein the reaction mixture is selected and the flow rate of the reaction mixture fed to the flash vessel as well as the amount of heat supplied to the flash vessel is controlled such that the temperature of the crude product vapor stream is maintained at a temperature less than 90° F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventor: Jeremy J. Patt
  • Publication number: 20140148615
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for the recovery of an organic acid from a dilute salt solution in which the cation of the salt forms an insoluble carbonate salt. An amine, C02 and a water immiscible solvent are introduced to the solution to form the insoluble carbonate salt and a complex between the acid and the amine that is soluble in both an aqueous and a solvent phase. The complex is extracted into the solvent phase which is than distilled to recover the acid or an ester of the acid in a concentrated form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: ZEACHEM, INC.
    Inventors: Dan W. Verser, Gal Mariansky, Kevin Carlin, Erik Gallegos-Westling, Jesse James Coutu, Timothy J. Eggeman
  • Patent number: 8729301
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a process for dehydrating wet acetic acid. One embodiment of the invention comprises contacting wet acetic acid with acetyl chloride. Another embodiment of the invention comprises contacting wet acetic acid; acetic anhydride; and a catalytic effective amount of hydrogen chloride, acetyl chloride, or a chlorosilane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Dow Corning Corporation
    Inventors: Michael David Telgenhoff, Arthur James Tselepis
  • Publication number: 20140128487
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is to an ion exchange resin composition comprising a metal-functionalized exchange resin comprising from 3% to 94% metal-functionalized active sites; and a non-metal-functionalized exchange resin comprising non-metal-functionalized active sites.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald D. Shaver, Greg Blanchard, Brian W. Hokkanen, G. Paull Torrence
  • Patent number: 8664283
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is to an ion exchange resin composition comprising a metal-functionalized exchange resin comprising from 3% to 94% metal-functionalized active sites; and a non-metal-functionalized exchange resin comprising non-metal-functionalized active sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Greg Blanchard, Ronald D. Shaver, Brian W. Hokkanen, G. Paull Torrence
  • Patent number: 8664436
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid bed adsorptive separation of organic acid and/or amino acids from fermentation broths containing organic acid and/or amino acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Company
    Inventor: Areski Rezkallah
  • Publication number: 20130345474
    Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid includes: obtaining hydrogen iodide in an acetic acid production system; and continually introducing a complexing agent into the system, wherein the complexing agent and hydrogen iodide interact to form a complex.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: LYONDELL CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY L.P.
    Inventors: Noel C. Hallinan, Brian A. Salisbury, Wayne J. Brtko, Michael E. Fitzpatrick
  • Publication number: 20130331601
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement for recovery of at least one organic acid from a dilute aqueous solution thereof. In this method a complex between said organic acid and an extractant is formed by contacting the solution with a reactive extractant and dissolving the formed complex into said extractant thus forming an extractant phase. The organic acid is removed from the formed complex by esterification using an alcohol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Esko Tirronen, Jukka Hietala, Reijo Aksela
  • Patent number: 8586789
    Abstract: A method for removing hydrocarbon impurities from an acetic acid production intermediate is disclosed. The method comprises extracting the intermediate with a hydrocarbon extracting agent. The extraction is preferably performed with the alkane distillation bottom stream which comprises methyl iodide, acetic acid, and hydrocarbon impurities. The extraction forms a light phase which comprises the hydrocarbon impurity and the extracting agent and a heavy phase which comprises methyl iodide and acetic acid. The extraction heavy phase is optionally recycled to the alkane distillation or to the carbonylation reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Lyondell Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventors: Noel Hallinan, Brian A. Salisbury, Shao-Hua Guo
  • Patent number: 8586788
    Abstract: A method for producing of ultra-clean and high-purity electronic acetic acid is disclosed. The method including following steps: Step 1, industrial acetic acid is fast distilled; Step 2, filtering the fraction by membrane of 0.05˜0.3 ?m aperture; Step 3, rectification; Step 4, membrane filtration again. Due to the adoption of the technical scheme above, the ultra-clean and high-purity electronic grade acetic acid which purity is 99.8% is produced. The content of single metal ion is lower than 1 ppb and the content of particulates which is ?0.5 ?m is lower than 5 pcs/ml. The method of the invention will help to reduce energy consumption, to simplify the operation, and to achieve the high security.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Asia Union Electronic Chemical Corporation Shanghai
    Inventors: Jiarong Zhan, Curtis Dove, I-Hsing Lin
  • Publication number: 20130281720
    Abstract: The invention provides a method to extract organic compounds from aqueous mixtures, using a specially selected organic compound as an extraction liquid. The method can be applied to remove compounds such as acetic acid or ethanol from complex aqueous mixtures, including fermentation reactions or broths, and can be used for in situ extraction of products or by-products from a fermentation reaction. Some suitable extraction liquids for use in these methods include diethylene glycol dibutyl ether, tripropionin, and di(ethylene glycol) diisobutyl ether.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicants: BP CORPORATION NORTH AMERICA INC, THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Amit A. Gokhale, Sasisanker Padmanabhan, Christopher Roberge
  • Publication number: 20130211138
    Abstract: A method of treating a solvent in a wood processing operation is described. A first organic compound is extracted from an aqueous solution with a solvent. Then, the solvent is contacted with an alkali solution to remove a second organic compound from the solvent. For example, the first organic compound may be acetic acid and the second organic compound may be lignin. In another embodiment, a liquid-liquid extraction solvent used to extract acetic acid from an aqueous solution is rejuvenated by contacting the solvent with an alkali solution to remove a second organic compound from the solvent. The rejuvenated solvent is then recycled for further liquid-liquid extraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: University of Maine System Board of Trustees
    Inventors: G. Peter van Walsum, Adriaan Reinhard Pieter van Heiningen, Joseph Genco
  • Patent number: 8506766
    Abstract: A method for recovering acetic acid from an aqueous feed stream containing acetic acid and, in particular, a stream generated during terephthalic acid production includes feeding a water-rich feed stream to a liquid-liquid extraction column, which includes a guard bed near the top thereof for conversion of alcohol within the feed stream by reaction with acetic acid to the corresponding ester, and removing residual water from acetic acid in an azeotropic distillation column by feeding water-poor feed streams from the extraction column to the distillation column at a height at which the mixture has a similar water concentration. The liquid-liquid extraction column produces an extract of an extraction solvent and acetic acid which is sent to the azeotropic distillation column to separate residual water and acetic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: AMT International Inc.
    Inventors: Kuang-Yeu Wu, Ji-Young Jang, Karl Tze-Tang Chuang
  • Patent number: 8501990
    Abstract: A process for the reduction and/or removal of permanganate reducing compounds formed by the carbonylation of methanol in the presence of a Group VIII metal carbonylation catalyst to produce acetic acid is disclosed. More specifically, a process for reducing and/or removing permanganate reducing compounds or their precursors from intermediate streams during the formation of acetic acid by said carbonylation processes is disclosed. In particular, a process in which a low boiling overhead vapor stream from a light ends column is subjected to a single distillation to obtain an overhead that is subjected to an extraction to selectively remove and/or reduce PRC's from the process is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond J. Zinobile, Mark O. Scates, Jonathan A. Makelki, Manuel Salado
  • Patent number: 8426641
    Abstract: Process for preparing formic acid by hydrogenation of carbon dioxide in the presence of a catalyst comprising an element of group 8, 9 or 10 of the Periodic Table, a tertiary amine and a polar solvent at a pressure of from 0.2 to 30 MPa abs and a temperature of from 20 to 200° C. to form two liquid phases, separation of the two liquid phases, wherein the liquid phase (B) enriched with the tertiary amine is recirculated to the hydrogenation reactor and the formic acid/amine adduct from the liquid phase (A) enriched with the formic acid/amine adduct and the polar solvent is thermally dissociated into free formic acid and free tertiary amine in a distillation unit and the tertiary amine liberated in the dissociation and the polar solvent are recirculated to the hydrogenation reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Thomas Schaub, Rocco Paciello, Klaus-Dieter Mohl, Daniel Schneider, Martin Schaefer, Stefan Rittinger
  • Patent number: RE44125
    Abstract: A method for adsorbing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) derived from organic matter comprises adsorbing the VOCs onto palladium doped ZSM-5, optionally at ambient temperature. The organic matter can be perishable organic goods such as food, including fruit and/or vegetables, horticultural produce, including plants and/or cut flowers, or refuse. The palladium doped ZSM-5 has a Si:Al ratio of less than or equal to 100:1 and preferably has a palladium content of from 0.1 wt % to 10.0 wt % based on the total weight of the doped ZSM-5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company
    Inventors: Thomas Ilkenhans, Stephen Poulston, Andrew William John Smith