Abstract: An improved process for producing an alcohol by hydrating an olefin wherein the improvement comprises hydrating an olefin in the presence of a hydrogen-type catalyst having a silica/alumina molar ratio of 20 to 500 and a solvent using either:A. hydrogen-type mordenite or hydrogen-type zeolite Y, and a sulfone; orB. hydrogen-type crystalline aluminosilicate in which the entrance of the main void is formed by a 10-membered or 12-membered oxygen ring, and a C.sub.2 to C.sub.5 oxy acid or the lactones, lactides, methyl or ethyl esters thereof.

Abstract: An improved process for producing an alcohol by hydrating an olefin, wherein the improvement comprises hydrating an olefin in the presence of hydrogen-type mordenite or hydrogen-type zeolite Y as a catalyst each having a silica/alumina molar ratio of 20 to 500.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the manufacture of ketones which comprises oxidizing an n-olefin in the presence of a catalyst containing palladium, copper, a halogen, and at least one of specific tertiary amines.

Abstract: A power plant is disclosed in which a steam turbine/coal-fired steam boiler is integrated with an air turbine via using the convection section of the boiler to heat compressed air for the turbine, by indirect heat exchange with the flue gas, the hot turbine exhaust being sent to the boiler as preheated combustion air. In this way, only clean air reaches the turbine and not combustion products which would result from direct firing of fuel in compressed air, whereby coal may be burned instead of premium quality fuels. Platens in the radiant section of the boiler are used both to regulate flue gas temperature and take over some of the usual convection section services to release it for compressed air heating service.

Abstract: n-Butene is dimerized with improved conversion using an in situ produced homogeneous catalyst system formed from a nickel compound such as nickel octoate, an organoaluminium compound such as aluminium monoethyl dichloride, the butene and hydrogen.

Abstract: In thermal cracking of hydrocarbons, especially steam cracking to light olefins, a transfer line heat exchanger unit is provided in which cracked gas flows from a furnace into heat exchange tubes, which comprises a distributor having an inlet for said gas and two or three diverging branches forming with said distributor a wye or tri-piece for passage of gas, each branch having along its length a substantially uniform cross-sectional area and being in fluid flow communication with a respective cooling tube. Unfired residence time and pressure drop are reduced, thereby improving selectivity to ethylene.

Abstract: A unique combustion system is described which improves the aerodynamic pattern associated with the combustion gases inside a pyrolysis furnace. The resultant pattern is very stable, creates minimum flame impingement on the process tubes, and ensures a very high mixing level throughout the reactor.

Abstract: The invention relates to quenching a cracked hydrocarbon gas by passing a cracked gas stream axially through a pipe and injecting a liquid coolant into said pipe through a plurality of circumferentially arranged slots in a swirling manner, the weight ratio of the flow rate of the coolant to the flow rate of the gas stream being in the range of about 2 to about 15 whereby a sufficient amount of the coolant is swept into the gas stream to effectively cool the same. Suitable apparatus comprises a quench pipe formed of two substantially abutting sections, the downstream section being grooved to form with the upstream section of said slots. Preferably the upstream section has an internal circumferentially arranged deflector lip overhanging the slots.

Abstract: Net horsepower required for recovering high purity ethylene is reduced by process gas compression of furnace effluent to only low pressures before entering recovery facilities. The compressor discharge undergoes chilling in heat exchangers or pumparound towers designed for small pressure drops. Hydrocarbons condensed during chilling are pumped to higher pressures for fractionation.

Abstract: Isobutylene containing a minor amount, e.g. 0.06-0.10 wt %, of n-butene-1 is subjected to gas phase isomerization using hydrogen and Group VIII metal catalyst to convert the butene-1 to butene-2 with at least 65% conversion and no more than 0.3% hydrogenation of the isobutylene; butene-2 is more readily separated from the isobutylene by distillation. Isomerization conditions applied are defined by a pressure of 3 to 5 bars gauge, a temperature of from 40.degree. to 50.degree. C., a space velocity of from 150 to 300 vol/vol/hour, a mass velocity of from 1.1 to 1.5 metric tons/m2/hour and a hydrogen/feed volume ratio of not more than 2.5%.

Abstract: Reduced downgrading in xylene isomerization of ethylbenzene-depleted feeds is achieved by carrying the process out over gallosilicate or borosilicate zeolites, preferably in the form of compositions comprising a core of catalytically-inactive crystalline silica with an overlying zeolite layer. The composites are prepared by introducing preformed silica particles, preferably with a crystallite size greater than 0.1.mu., into a reaction mixture comprising a silicon source, a source of the modifying element, and preferably an organic template such as a tetraalkylammonium compound. The weight ratio of the silica core to SiO.sub.2 in the reaction mixture is preferably 0.5:1 to 25:1.

Abstract: In the compression of gases with interstage cooling in low pressure drop towers in which evaporative and non-evaporative cooling liquids are used to cool the compressed gases, the present improvement comprises introducing the non-evaporative cooling liquid as a stream in a direct contact zone and introducing the evaporative cooling liquid as a separate stream in a direct contact zone thereabove and removing evaporative cooling liquid between said zones so as to prevent it from mixing with the non-evaporative cooling liquid stream.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improvement in an integrated, two stage coking and steam cracking process for the production of unsaturated light hydrocarbons. A heavy hydrocarbonaceous oil is first coked in a fluidized bed coking zone. The vaporous conversion product is passed to a dilute phase. High temperature cracking in the presence of steam is carried out on the vaporous coker conversion product by injecting into the vapors a stream of hot coke particles at a sufficient temperature and in sufficient amount to raise the coker vapors to steam cracking temperature and supply the endothermic heat of reaction. Solids are separated from product gas in a gas-solids separation zone such as one or more cyclones and sent to the fluid coking zone and the gas is quenched to stop olefin degradation reactions. According to the improvement, relatively low temperature steam is introduced into contact with the separated solids to superheat the steam and cool the solids.

Abstract: Highly selective oxidative coupling of aromatic methyl groups, such as coupling toluene to DPE, is effected under mild, liquid phase conditions with a peroxodisulfate without expensive metal ion catalysts, in presence of substantial amounts, preferably equimolar, of methyl, ethyl or benzyl substituted quaternary ammonium salts. A continuous process is possible by electrolytic regeneration of the spent oxidant.

Abstract: This invention relates to rhodium compounds having the general formula:HRh(CO)(XR.sub.3).sub.n (YR'.sub.3).sub.3-nwherein X is phosphorus, arsenic or antimony; Y is arsenic or antimony when X is phosphorus, Y is phosphorus or antimony when X is arsenic, or Y is phosphorus, arsenic or antimony when X is antimony; R and R' are aryl groups; and n is an integer of 1 or 2. Further, it relates to a process for the preparation of aldehydes by the hydroformylation of olefins in the presence of a rhodium catalyst, and more particularly for the production of aldehydes by the reaction of olefins such as propylene with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of HRh(CO)PPh.sub.3).sub.2 (AsPh.sub.3)/excess PPh.sub.3 and AsPh.sub.3 or HRh(CO)(PPh.sub.3)(AsPh.sub.3).sub.2 /excess PPh.sub.3 and AsPh.sub.3.

Abstract: Palladium or platinum is deposited on a low acidity silica polymorph/silicalite/high silica zeolites to yield a supported catalyst particularly useful in the hydrogenation of acetylenes and diolefins. The catalyst has a decreased tendency to promote polymerization which causes fouling than previously used alumina catalysts.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improvement in an integrated, two stage coking and steam cracking process for the production of unsaturated light hydrocarbons. A heavy hydrocarbonaceous oil is first coked in a fluid coking zone. High temperature cracking in the presence of steam is carried out on the vaporous coker conversion product by injecting into the vapors a stream of hot coke particles at a sufficient temperature and in sufficient amount to raise the coker vapors to steam cracking temperature and supply the endothermic heat of reaction. Solids are separated from gas in a gas-solids separation zone such as one or more cyclones and sent to the fluid coking zone and the gas is quenched to stop olefin degradation reactions. According to the improvement, a portion of the separated solids is diverted from entering the fluid coking zone so that the amount of separated solids it receives is only sufficient to satisfy its heat requirement. Solids may be diverted via the cyclone dipleg.

Abstract: Secondary alcohols are produced by the hydration of a n-olefin substantially free from an isoolefin in the presence as catalyst of an acidic cation exchange resin such as a sulfonated styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer and in the presence of an oxy acid or lactone thereof such as .gamma.-valerolactone. The process is especially useful for hydrating a n-butene feed or a feed consisting essentially of n-butenes and butane to produce secondary butyl alcohol.

Abstract: A method of preparing a catalyst for the diacyloxylation of conjugated dienes such as butadiene by reaction with a carboxylic acid such as acetic acid and oxygen, which comprises separately and successively impregnating a carrier, for example carbon, with a solution of a Group VIII noble metal in a mixture of a mineral acid and an organic solvent, then with a solution of a Group IVA, VA or VIA element or compound thereof in an organic solvent.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of operating a furnace with gas turbine exhaust as preheated combustion air, in which a gas seal is used. The gas seal housing may for example be a J-shaped tubular device depending from the duct through which the exhaust air flows to the burners, and is open at one end to the duct and open at the other end to the atmosphere. The variation permissible of duct pressure atop the seal in order to keep the seal intact is a function of the vertical range of the interface between the gases in the device and the difference in density between the two gases and can be controlled by adjustment of the damper setting. In normal operation the hot exhaust air flows to the furnace burners under the suction controlled by the damper. The seal is disrupted when the flow of exhaust air is reduced, the colder atmospheric air then being admitted and flowing to the burners so that the furnace continues in operation.