Abstract: A porous ceramic body is provided for a variety of applications. The porous ceramic body includes mesocrystals of alumina such as, for example, alpha alumina. Porous alpha alumina bodies containing the mesocrystal microstructure can provide enhanced activity and catalyst lifetime when the same is used as a carrier for a silver-based ethylene oxide catalyst.

Abstract: A method for the oxidation of ethylene to form ethylene oxide which comprises: providing an aqueous stream containing ethylene glycol and impurities; introducing the aqueous stream in a first ion exchange treatment bed to reduce the content of these impurities; determining whether an outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed has a conductivity greater than about 5 ?S/cm; upon determining that the outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed has a conductivity greater than about 5 ?S/cm, introducing the outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed into a second ion exchange treatment bed; and upon determining that the outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed has a conductivity greater than about 60 ?S/cm, redirecting the introduction of the aqueous stream to the second ion exchange treatment bed and regenerating the first ion exchange bed.

Abstract: An improved process for the recovery of ethylene oxide from the aqueous scrubbing solution in which the ethylene oxide is recovered into a vaporous stream highly enriched in ethylene oxide.

Abstract: An improved catalytic hydration process that includes a catalytic hydration reaction section containing adiabatic reactors with ion exchange resin catalyst and which maintains low resin swelling and excellent selectivity while also reducing process complexity and increasing versatility.

Abstract: An improved catalytic hydration process that includes a catalytic hydration reaction section containing adiabatic reactors with ion exchange resin catalyst and which maintains low resin swelling and excellent selectivity while also reducing process complexity and increasing versatility.

Abstract: A porous body is provided with enhanced fluid transport properties that is capable of performing or facilitating separations, or performing reactions and/or providing areas for such separations or reactions to take place. The porous body includes at least 80 percent alpha alumina and has a pore volume from 0.3 mL/g to 1.2 mL/g and a surface area from 0.3 m2/g to 3.0 m2/g. The porous body further includes a pore architecture that provides at least one of a tortuosity of 7.0 or less, a constriction of 4.0 or less and a permeability of 30 mdarcys or greater. The porous body can be used in a wide variety of applications such as, for example, as a filter, as a membrane or as a catalyst carrier.

Abstract: A method for improving the manufacture of an existing ethylene glycol manufacturing that includes inserting a catalytic hydration reaction section with multiple adiabatic reactors.

Abstract: Oxalic acid is employed in a precursor mixture containing at least one milled alpha alumina powder having a particle size of 0.1 to 6 microns, boehmite powder that functions as a binder of the alpha alumina powders, and at least one burnout material having a particle size of 1-10 microns to provide a porous body having enhanced pore architecture in which extrusion cracks can be reduced. The presence of oxalic acid in such as precursor mixture can reduce and even eliminate NOx emission during a high temperature heat treatment process.

Abstract: A method for lowering the sodium content of different carriers which may have different physical properties as well as varying degrees of sodium is provided. The method, which lowers the sodium content from the surface, subsurface as well as the binding layer of the carrier, includes contacting a carrier with water. A rinse solution is recovered from the contacting. The rinse solution includes leached sodium from the carrier. The sodium content in the rinse solution is then determined. The contacting, recovering and determining are repeated until a steady state in the sodium content is achieved.

Abstract: A porous body is provided with enhanced fluid transport properties that is capable of performing or facilitating separations, or performing reactions and/or providing areas for such separations or reactions to take place. The porous body includes at least 80 percent alpha alumina and has a pore volume from 0.3 mL/g to 1.2 mL/g and a surface area from 0.3 m2/g to 3.0 m2/g. The porous body further includes a pore architecture that provides at least one of a tortuosity of 7.0 or less, a constriction of 4.0 or less and a permeability of 30 mdarcys or greater. The porous body can be used in a wide variety of applications such as, for example, as a filter, as a membrane or as a catalyst carrier.

Abstract: A method for producing a catalyst effective in the oxidative conversion of ethylene to ethylene oxide, the method comprising: (i) impregnating a porous refractory carrier with a sub-catalytic level of silver ion in a range of 0.1 wt % to 1 wt % of silver by weight of the carrier and silver, and at least partially reducing said silver ion to elemental silver to produce a low-silver catalyst precursor having isolated silver atoms or silver nanoparticles on surfaces of said refractory carrier; and (ii) further impregnating the low-silver catalyst precursor with a catalytic amount of silver ion of at least 10 wt % total amount of silver and at least one promoting species by weight of the carrier and silver, and subjecting the further impregnated carrier to an elevated temperature of at least 200° C. to completely reduce silver ion to elemental silver in the carrier. The low-silver catalyst precursor produced in step (i) is also described in detail.

Abstract: A porous body is provided with enhanced fluid transport properties that is capable of performing or facilitating separations, or performing reactions and/or providing areas for such separations or reactions to take place. The porous body includes at least 80 percent alpha alumina and has a pore volume from 0.3 mL/g to 1.2 mL/g and a surface area from 0.3 m2/g to 3.0 m2/g. The porous body further includes a pore architecture that provides at least one of a tortuosity of 7.0 or less, a constriction of 4.0 or less and a permeability of 30 mdarcys or greater. The porous body can be used in a wide variety of applications such as, for example, as a filter, as a membrane or as a catalyst carrier.

Abstract: A method for the oxidation of ethylene to form ethylene oxide which comprises: providing an aqueous stream containing ethylene glycol and impurities; introducing the aqueous stream in a first ion exchange treatment bed to reduce the content of these impurities; determining whether an outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed has a conductivity greater than about 5 ?S/cm; upon determining that the outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed has a conductivity greater than about 5 ?S/cm, introducing the outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed into a second ion exchange treatment bed; and upon determining that the outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed has a conductivity greater than about 60 ?S/cm, redirecting the introduction of the aqueous stream to the second ion exchange treatment bed and regenerating the first ion exchange bed.

Abstract: An improved process for the recovery of ethylene oxide from the aqueous scrubbing solution in which the ethylene oxide is recovered into a vaporous stream highly enriched in ethylene oxide.

Abstract: An improved catalytic hydration process that includes a catalytic hydration reaction section containing adiabatic reactors with ion exchange resin catalyst and which maintains low resin swelling and excellent selectivity while also reducing process complexity and increasing versatility.

Abstract: An improved catalytic hydration process that includes a catalytic hydration reaction section containing adiabatic reactors with ion exchange resin catalyst and which maintains low resin swelling and excellent selectivity while also reducing process complexity and increasing versatility.

Abstract: A method for improving the manufacture of an existing ethylene glycol manufacturing that includes inserting a catalytic hydration reaction section with multiple adiabatic reactors.

Abstract: Oxalic acid is employed in a precursor mixture containing at least one milled alpha alumina powder having a particle size of 0.1 to 6 microns, boehmite powder that functions as a binder of the alpha alumina powders, and at least one burnout material having a particle size of 1-10 microns to provide a porous body having enhanced pore architecture in which extrusion cracks can be reduced. The presence of oxalic acid in such as precursor mixture can reduce and even eliminate NOx emission during a high temperature heat treatment process.

Abstract: A porous body with enhanced fluid transport properties and crush strength is provided. The porous body includes the porous body includes at least 80 percent alpha alumina and having a pore volume from 0.3 mL/g to 1.2 mL/g, a surface area from 0.3 m2/g to 3.0 m2/g, and a pore architecture that provides at least one of a tortuosity of 7 or less, a constriction of 4 or less and a permeability of 30 mdarcys or greater, wherein the porous body is a cylinder comprising at least two spaced apart holes that extend through an entire length of the cylinder. The porous body has a flat plate crush strength improved by more than 10% over a porous body cylinder having a same outer diameter and length, but having only a single hole.

Abstract: A method for the oxidation of ethylene to form ethylene oxide which comprises: providing an aqueous stream containing ethylene glycol and impurities; introducing the aqueous stream in a first ion exchange treatment bed to reduce the content of these impurities; determining whether an outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed has a conductivity greater than about 5 ?S/cm; upon determining that the outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed has a conductivity greater than about 5 ?S/cm, introducing the outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed into a second ion exchange treatment bed; and upon determining that the outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed has a conductivity greater than about 60 ?S/cm, redirecting the introduction of the aqueous stream to the second ion exchange treatment bed and regenerating the first ion exchange bed.