Abstract: The present invention provides a method for recovering ethane from a gaseous mixture comprising hydrogen, methane, ethane, and aromatics, comprising subjecting the gaseous mixture to a series of condensing steps to separate the components and flashing the so-obtained ethane to produce a substantially pure ethane product stream.

Abstract: A fuel composition comprising carbon black and a combustible liquid such as lower alkyl alcohols having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or liquid hydrocarbons is provided. The composition is formed by adding a sufficient amount of carbon black to the combustible liquid without thereby causing an increase in the volume of the mixture by more than about five percent (5%).

Abstract: This invention discloses a staged process for drying wet carbonaceous materials such as sub-bituminous coal or lignite containing at least about 10 weight percent moisture, usually 15-50 weight percent moisture, by first heating the wet material under low partial pressure of moisture to permit the controlled rapid escape of surface moisture down to a critical moisture content of 8-12 weight percent. In a second step, the material is further heated at lower differential vapor pressure to provide for further moisture evolution at a slower controlled rate. This staged drying procedure permits wicking up of hydrocarbons contained in the coal to seal the surface of the dried coal product sufficient to prevent appreciable reabsorption of moisture and consequent heating and spontaneous ignition.

Abstract: This invention provides processes for the production of benzene from anthracene, 9,10-anthraquinone from anthracene, and benzene from 9,10-anthraquinone. In the conversion of anthracene to 9,10-anthraquinone, anthracene is reacted with a molecular oxygen-containing gas (e.g., air) in the presence of a catalyst and promotor at an elevated temperature (65.degree. to 205.degree. C.). To convert 9,10-anthraquinone to benzene, the anthraquinone is thermally cracked, with or without a suitable catalyst, at a temperature of at least 425.degree. C. An example of a suitable catalyst is synthetic zeolite.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process, for the thermal dealkylation of alkylated phenols, which process comprises reacting a feed solution containing alkylated phenols and gaseous hydrogen in the presence of water vapor, the reaction being carried out at total pressure of 400 to 800 psig, temperature ranging from about 1000 .degree. to about 1500.degree. F., and the weight percent water vapor in the reaction being from about 10 to about 40 Wt % of the alkylated phenol feedstock.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for the selective dealkylation of alkylated phenols, which method comprises reacting a feed solution comprising a mixture of alkylated phenols with steam in the presence of a catalyst comprising a hydrous carrier, at least one catalyst deactivation suppressor, and at least one promoter. A salt of an alkali metal may be added to the feed to enhance the selectivity of phenol in the product.

Abstract: A continuous hydrogenation process and apparatus wherein liquids are contacted with hydrogen in an ebullated catalyst reaction zone with the liquids and gas flowing vertically upwardly through that zone into a second zone substantially free of catalyst particles and wherein the liquid and gases are directed against an upwardly inclining surface through which vertical conduits are placed having inlet ends at different levels in the liquid and having outlet ends at different levels above the inclined surface, such that vapor-rich liquid is collected and discharged through conduits terminating at a higher level above the inclined surface than the vapor-poor liquid which is collected and discharged at a level lower than the inclined surface.

Abstract: Coal is finely ground and cleaned so as to preferentially remove denser ash-containing particles along with some coal. The resulting cleaned coal portion having reduced ash content is then fed to a coal hydrogenation system for the production of desirable hydrocarbon gases and liquid products. The remaining ash-enriched coal portion is gasified to produce a synthesis gas, the ash is removed from the gasifier usually as slag, and the synthesis gas is shift converted with steam and purified to produce the high purity hydrogen needed in the coal hydrogenation system. This overall process increases the utilization of as-mined coal, reduces the problems associated with ash in the liquefaction-hydrogenation system, and permits a desirable simplification of a liquids-solids separation step otherwise required in the coal hydrogenation system.

Abstract: In the catalytic demetallization of Venezuelan crude oil feedstocks, the rate of catalyst deactivation is reduced by controlling the level of demetallization at start-up. Operating conditions of pressure, temperature and space velocity are controlled to maintain the initial level of demetallization below 75 percent.

Abstract: The thermal hydrogenation of solid coal without added catalyst produces hydrocarbon gases in the methane to propane range as the principal product, plus substantial yields of synthetic petroleum-like hydrocarbon liquids. The C.sub.4 -400.degree. F. naphtha liquid fraction is steam reformed to produce hydrogen, while heavier distillate liquid fractions are used as fuel to operate the steam reformer and for other process heat requirements, so that all of the hydrogen required for the coal hydrogenation reaction is produced from portions of the liquid products.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process and apparatus for drying moisture-containing particulate materials. The process comprises feeding the particulates to a drying vessel containing therein a hydrocarbon liquid maintained at a temperature sufficiently high to rapidly evaporate the moisture; stirring the articulate-liquid slurry in the vessel so as to maintain particle flow therein; feeding a hot hydrocarbon liquid to the vessel; heating the vessel wall above the liquid level to a temperature above the slurry temperature to prevent foaming; removing from the vessel an overhead vapor product; and condensing the vapor product to recover water and hydrocarbon liquid. An apparatus useful for carrying out the above-mentioned process is also claimed.

Abstract: A process for the hydrogenation of coal at elevated temperature is disclosed, wherein particulate coal having an average particle size of less than 1000 microns is admixed with a liquid hydrocarbon to form a slurry containing about 30-50 weight percent solids, and the slurry is passed to an ebullated bed reactor wherein the coal is catalytically hydrogenated at reactor pressure of about 100 to 300 atmospheres to produce hydrocarbon products including a liquid residuum containing unconverted processed coal solids.

Abstract: This invention provides a continuous process for separating a gaseous phase from a hydrocarbon liquid containing carbonaceous particulates and gases. The liquid is fed to a cylindrical separator, with the gaseous phase being removed therefrom as an overhead product, whereas the hydrocarbon liquid and the particulates are withdrawn as a bottoms product. By feeding the liquid tangentially to the separator and maintaining a particulate-liquid slurry downward velocity of from about 0.01 to about 0.25 fps in the separator, a total solids weight percent in the slurry of from about 0.1 to about 30%, a slurry temperature of from about 550.degree. to about 900.degree. F., a slurry residence time in the separator of from about 30 to about 360 seconds, and a length/diameter ratio for the separator of from about 20/1 to about 50/1, so that the characterization factor, .alpha., defined as ##STR1## DOES NOT EXCEED ABOUT 48 (.degree.R sec.sup.

Abstract: A pressure let-down valve assembly for handling pressurized liquids which contain abrasive solids including a valve adapted for handling such liquids and a flow reversal means for changing the direction of the flowing liquid. The flow reversal means contains a chamber having an outlet located at a point which permits a sufficient amount of liquid to accumulate therein to absorb at least a portion of the energy of the flowing solids in the liquid.

Abstract: A process for converting a naphtha feedstock to a pure benzene including the steps of: reforming the naphtha; removing a major fraction of C.sub.4 - C.sub.5 and heavy reformate components to obtain a reformate containing a major portion of C.sub.6 - C.sub.8 aromatic hydrocarbons and an associated saturated portion; extracting the aromatic hydrocarbons from the reformate countercurrently in a simplified process with a selective hydrophilic solvent, such as sulfolane, having high solubility for aromatic hydrocarbons and low solubility for paraffinic hydrocarbons to obtain an extract stream rich in C.sub.6 - C.sub.8 aromatic hydrocarbons and a raffinate stream rich in paraffinic hydrocarbons; and recovering the selective solvent from the extract stream to obtain an aromatic component comprising a major C.sub.6 - C.sub.8 aromatic hydrocarbons and about 3 to 18 wt. % paraffinic hydrocarbon impurity.

Abstract: The hydrogenation of low rank coal to produce hydrocarbon liquids and gases is conducted in a first stage reaction zone at elevated temperature and pressure and without catalyst, followed by further hydrogenation of the total effluent in a second stage ebullated bed catalytic reaction zone which is maintained at slightly lower temperature. The first stage may comprise an ebullated bed of high density non-catalytic contact material. However, the presence of such contact material is not required. Clarified hydrocarbon liquid streams are returned to the first stage reaction zone as the slurrying oil and to the second stage zone as recycle oil to maintain a significantly high percentage of unconverted coal solids in the first stage reaction zone than in the second stage zone. This two stage reaction arrangement produces a high percentage conversion of the low rank coal to liquid and gaseous products with good process operability.

Abstract: Sulfur compounds contained in fuel gases produced from the gasification of coal or petroleum residua area removed at about 1600.degree. F temperature by contacting the gas with an absorbent material comprising a strong, macroporous particulate solid support containing molten metal carbonate, such as potassium carbonate, within its pores. Following such contacting and reaction of the sulfur compounds in the hot gas with the supported metal carbonate absorbent, it is regenerated by being contacted at high temperatures with steam and CO.sub.2 to remove the sulfur, which is recovered as H.sub.2 S. The metal carbonate absorbent material is reused by again contacting it with the hot fuel gas for sulfur removal, after which the sulfur-free fuel gas is burned in a combustion process such as a gas turbine to produce power.

Abstract: The gasification of coal to produce a methane-rich product gas is accomplished through the controlled slow heating of particulate coal in a gasifier comprising two or more zones, whereby any significant decrease in the density of the coal particles is minimized and particle swelling and friability are significantly reduced, while the carryover of fines and deposition of tars in the product gas conduit are thereby minimized. The particulate coal heating rate in the gasifier zones is usually between about 10.degree. and 200.degree. F per minute. When the particulate coal is to be fed to the gasifier at elevated temperature, further improvements are achieved with swelling type caking coals through their pretreatment by preheating the coal at a slow rate between 10.degree. and 100.degree. F per minute up to about 800.degree. F in multiple fluidized beds.

Abstract: A process is provided for the simultaneous conversion of coal and residuum oil to predominantly liquid products, employing ebullated bed techniques. A fluid blend of particulate coal admixed with crude oil comprising from about 20 to 100% by weight of residuum oil boiling above about 975.degree. F. is contacted with hydrogen in the presence of an ebullated bed of particulate hydrogenation catalyst to effect conversion of at least about 50% of the residuum oil component and up to about 94% of the m.a.f. coal. In an alternate embodiment the oil feed includes recycled oil from the product liquids.

Abstract: Coal is hydrogenated in an upflow, random motion, gas-liquid-catalyst process in which the heavy liquids (800.degree. F to 1000.degree. F) are recycled to the reactor to optimize production of preferred 400.degree.-800.degree. F boiling range end product liquids.The optimization is accomplished by not recycling to the reactor any liquid fraction boiling between about 600.degree. and 800.degree. F.