Abstract: A homogenous process for the hydrogenation of the carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof in the presence of a catalyst comprising ruthenium, rhodium, iron, osmium or palladium, and an organic phosphine is described in which the hydrogenation is carried out in the presence of at least about 1% by weight water. A process for regenerating a catalyst comprising ruthenium, rhodium, iron, osmium or palladium and an organic phosphine is also described in which the regeneration is carried out in the presence of hydrogen and water.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in heterogeneous catalytic reactions comprising a column reactor comprising a plurality of trays mounted one above another, each adapted to hold a predetermined liquid volume and a charge of particles of a solid catalyst thereon; means for introducing a liquid phase reactant above the uppermost tray; means for introducing a vapor phase reactant below the lowermost tray; means for removing a liquid phase post-reaction stream from below the lowermost tray; means for removing a vapor phase post-reaction stream from above the uppermost tray; vapor upcomer means associated with each tray adapted to allow vapor to enter that tray from below; undertow means associated with each tray adapted to remove liquid from that tray and the column reactor before being introduced into the column reactor at a lower tray; means for temporarily directing said liquid removed from a tray to bypass at least one lower tray and be reintroduced to the column reactor at a tray located below said at least one bypassed

Abstract: In a process for producing fatty acid esters, a fatty acid or fatty acid mixture is subjected to esterification with a lower alkanol in an esterification reactor maintained under esterification conditions to form a stream comprising the corresponding lower alkyl ester(s). An overhead stream comprising unreacted lower alkanol, water and a heavy organic content of one or more of lower alkyl ester and/or acids is recovered from the reactor. The overhead stream is subjected to distillation in a first distillation column to separate a portion of the lower alkanol from a stream comprising the water, the remaining lower alkanol and the heavy organic content. This stream is recovered and subjected to distillation in a second distillation column to provide an overhead stream comprising lower alkanol and at least a major portion of the heavy organic content and a water stream having a reduced heavy organic and alkanol content.

Abstract: In a process for the separation of solid carboxylic acid fines from mother liquor that includes such fines, the mother liquor is fed to a settlement drum at above atmospheric pressure. The mother liquor having a lower concentration of carboxylic fines than that fed to the settlement drum is then removed, wherein the mother liquor removal occurs at a point above the point at which the mother liquor containing fines is fed to the settlement drum. In a system for performing the separation process, a settlement drum has an inlet for mother liquor with carboxylic acid fines and an outlet for mother liquor having a lower concentration of carboxylic acid fines content than that of the mother liquor introduced via the inlet. The settlement drum is configured to operate at above atmospheric pressure and the outlet is located at a point in the settlement drum above the inlet.

Abstract: In a process for removing aromatic carboxylic acid from a slurry thereof in solvent, the slurry is split into sub streams and each of said sub streams is supplied to a respective rotary pressure filter such that the sub stream pass through the filters in parallel. Gas is passed through the rotary pressure filters in series in an open-loop arrangement.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for recovery of homogeneous metal hydride catalyst from a reactor stream as catalyst suitable for recycle to a reactor comprising the steps of: removing a stream from a reactor, said stream comprising the homogeneous metal hydride catalyst; contacting the stream with a solid acidic absorbent under process conditions which allow at least some of the metal to become bound to the absorbent; subjecting the metal bound to the absorbent, under process conditions which allow desorption of the metal, to a fluid stripping medium comprising hydrogen and solvent; and recovering the active metal hydride catalyst.

Abstract: A liquid/gas reactor includes a bulk catalyst bed and means for supplying fresh feed and recycled at least partially converted liquid product stream to the bulk catalyst bed. The reactor also includes means for collecting an at least partially converted liquid product stream from the bulk catalyst bed and recycling at least a portion thereto. A minor catalyst bed extends substantially vertically through the bulk catalyst bed. Means for supplying recycled at least partially converted product stream only to the minor catalyst bed is also provided. A separating wall is disposed between the bulk catalyst bed and the minor catalyst bed.

Abstract: In a process for the separation and drying of crude carboxylic acid crystals from a slurry in a solvent, the slurry is supplied to a filter operating at pressure and at a temperature above the atmospheric boiling point of the solvent. A cake of separated crystals is removed from the filter and passed to a thermal dryer. In a system for the separation and drying of crude carboxylic acid from a slurry in a solvent, a pressure filter device has a slurry inlet and an outlet for a cake of carboxylic acid crystals. The system also has a thermal dryer and means for transporting the cake of carboxylic acid crystals from the pressure filter device to the dryer. The pressure filter device is configured to operate at a pressure and temperature above the atmospheric boiling point of the solvent.

Abstract: A monolith catalyst carrier for insertion in a tube of a tubular reactor has a container for holding a monolith catalyst in use. The container has a bottom surface closing the container and a skirt extending upwardly from the bottom surface of the container to a position below the location of a seal and spaced therefrom. The skirt is positioned such that there is a space between an outer surface of the monolith catalyst and the skirt. A seal is located at or near a top surface of the monolith catalyst and extends from the monolith catalyst by a distance which extends beyond an outer surface of the skirt.

Abstract: A process for improving the hydrogen content of a synthesis gas stream to a synthesis loop, comprising the steps of: (a) removing a purge stream comprising hydrogen and hydrocarbons from a synthesis loop; (b) separating hydrogen from the purge stream; (c) passing the purge stream to a reformer and reacting with steam and oxygen to produce a stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide; (d) subjecting the reformed reaction product stream to a shift reaction to produce a stream comprising carbon dioxide and hydrogen; (e) subjecting the product stream from the shift reaction to separation to separate hydrogen from carbon dioxide; (f) supplying the separated hydrogen to the synthesis loop; and (g) removing the carbon dioxide.

Abstract: In a process for the production of substitute natural gas, a feed gas is provided to a first and/or second and/or subsequent bulk methanator. The feed gas is subjected to methanation in the presence of a suitable catalyst. An at least partially reacted stream from the first bulk methanator is removed and supplied to the second and/or subsequent bulk methanator where it is subjected to further methanation. A product stream from the final bulk methanator is passed to a trim methanator train where it is subjected to further methanation. A recycle stream is removed downstream of the first, second or subsequent bulk methanator, and, in any order, passed through a compressor, subjected to cooling and then supplied to a trim and/or recycle methanator for further methanation before being recycled to the first and/or second and/or subsequent methanator.

Abstract: In a process/system for the purification of aromatic dicarboxylic acid (ACA), crude ACA solids are slurried with water recycled from at least a filtration step in a feed preparation zone. Flash steam in vapour phase is supplied to the zone from at least one of a crystallisation step, a filtration step, and a drier step. The slurried ACA solids are preheated to form a solution that is then hydrogenated. The ACA is allowed to crystallise and then crystals of pure ACA are filtered out and water is recovered in a single stage filtration process. Recovered water is supplied to the feed preparation zone and the crystals are dried and recovered. The flash steam recovered from the crystallisation step, filtration step and/or drier step is recovered as a vapour phase stream having a pressure from about atmospheric to 5 barg and supplied to the feed preparation zone without phase change.

Abstract: In a process for producing anhydrides in a tubular reactor, gaseous reactants are passed downwardly through at least one reactor tube to a catalyst carrier where they pass into a passage defined by an inner perforated wall of a catalyst container before passing radially through the catalyst bed towards a perforated outer container wall. The reaction occurs as gas contacts the catalyst. Unreacted reactant and product exits the container though the perforated outer wall and then upwardly between an inner surface of a container skirt and the outer wall of the container and then over the end of the skirt and caused to flow downwardly between the outer surface of the skirt and the inner surface of the reactor tube where heat transfer takes place. These steps are repeated at any subsequent catalyst carrier product is then removed from the reactor outlet.

Abstract: In a process for converting synthesis gas to higher hydrocarbons in a tubular reactor, reactants are introduced through an inlet of the reactor. The reactants are passed downwardly through at least one tube to an upper surface of a catalyst carrier where they pass into a passage defined by an inner perforated wall of a catalyst container before passing radially through the catalyst bed towards the perforated outer wall. Reaction occurs as the synthesis gas contacts the catalyst. Unreacted reactant and product is passed out of the container through a perforated outer wall thereof and then upwardly between a skirt and an outer wall of the container, followed by being directed over the end of the skirt and downwardly between the skirt and the reactor tube where heat transfer takes place. These steps are repeated for any subsequent catalyst carrier, then product is removed from an outlet of the reactor.

Abstract: In a process for the production of fatty alcohol(s) a fatty acid or fatty acid mixture is subjected to esterification with a lower alkanol to form a stream comprising the corresponding lower alkyl ester or esters. The stream is vaporized and subjected to hydrogenation to form a stream comprising fatty alcohol(s) and an amount of unconverted lower alkyl ester(s). This stream is subjected to transesterification in a wax ester reactor in the presence of a solid transesterification catalyst. Fatty alcohol(s) and wax ester(s) are then separated by distillation to yield a fatty alcohol(s) product and a stream comprising wax ester(s). The stream of wax ester(s) is passed to a second hydrogenation zone to effect hydrogenation in the liquid phase to revert the wax ester(s) to fatty alcohol(s), which are returned to the distillation separation step.

Abstract: In a process for the production of fatty alcohol(s) a fatty acid or fatty acid mixture is subjected to esterification with a lower alkanol to form a stream comprising the corresponding lower alkyl ester or esters. The stream is vaporised and subjected to hydrogenation to form a stream comprising fatty alcohol(s) and an amount of unconverted lower alkyl ester(s). This stream is subjected to transesterification in a wax ester reactor in the presence of a solid transesterification catalyst. Fatty alcohol(s) and wax ester(s) are then separated by distillation to yield a fatty alcohol(s) product and a stream comprising wax ester(s). The stream of wax ester(s) is passed to a second hydrogenation zone to effect hydrogenation in the liquid phase to revert the wax ester(s) to fatty alcohol(s), which are returned to the distillation separation step.

Abstract: A process for activating a reduced manganese copper catalyst comprising treating the catalyst at a temperature of more than 300° C. to about 400° C. with hydrogen.

Abstract: In a process for converting synthesis gas to methanol, gas is introduced through an inlet of a tubular reactor. Reactants pass downwardly through at least one reactor tube to an upper surface of a catalyst carrier and into a passage defined by an inner perforated wall of a carrier container before passing radially through the catalyst bed towards a perforated outer container wall. Reaction occurs as synthesis gas contacts the catalyst. Unreacted reactant and product pass out of the container through the outer container wall and then upwardly between the inner surface of a container skirt and an outer annular container wall, and then over the end of the skirt and downwardly between the outer surface of the skirt and the inner surface of the reactor tube where heat transfer takes place. The steps are repeated at any subsequent catalyst carrier and then product is removed from the reactor outlet.

Abstract: In a process for converting synthesis gas to higher hydrocarbons in a tubular reactor, reactants are introduced through an inlet of the reactor. The reactants are passed downwardly through at least one tube to an upper surface of a catalyst carrier where they pass into a passage defined by an inner perforated wall of a catalyst container before passing radially through the catalyst bed towards the perforated outer wall. Reaction occurs as the synthesis gas contacts the catalyst. Unreacted reactant and product is passed out of the container through a perforated outer wall thereof and then upwardly between a skirt and an outer wall of the container, followed by being directed over the end of the skirt and downwardly between the skirt and the reactor tube where heat transfer takes place. These steps are repeated for any subsequent catalyst carrier, then product is removed from an outlet of the reactor.

Abstract: In a catalyst carrier for insertion in a tube of a reactor, an annular container holds the catalyst in use and has a perforated inner wall defining a tube, a perforated outer wall, a top surface closing the annular container and a bottom surface closing the annular container. A surface closes the bottom of the tube formed by the inner wall of the annular container. A skirt extends upwardly from the perforated outer wall of the annular container from a position at or near the bottom surface to a position below the location of a seal located at or near the top surface and extending from the container by a distance which extends beyond an outer surface of the skirt.