Abstract: A carbon oxides conversion process includes reacting a carbon oxide containing process gas containing hydrogen and/or steam and containing at least one of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst including shaped units formed from a reduced and passivated catalyst powder, the powder including copper in the range 10-80% by weight, zinc oxide in the range 20-90% by weight, alumina in the range 5-60% by weight and optionally one or more oxidic promoter compounds selected from compounds of Mg, Cr, Mn, V, Ti, Zr, Ta, Mo, W, Si and rare earths in the range 0.01-10% by weight, wherein said shaped units have a reduced to as-made mean horizontal crush strength ratio of ?0.5:1 and a copper surface area above 60 m2/g Cu.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a catalyst composition comprises the steps of (i) precipitating one or more metal compounds from solution using an alkaline precipitant, preferably comprising an alkaline carbonate, optionally in the presence of a thermostabilising material, ii) ageing the precipitated composition, and (iii) recovering and drying the aged composition, wherein the ageing step is performed using a pulse-flow reactor.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a catalyst composition comprises the steps of (i) precipitating one or more metal compounds from solution using an alkaline precipitant, preferably comprising an alkaline carbonate, optionally in the presence of a thermostabilizing material, ii) ageing the precipitated composition, and (iii) recovering and drying the aged composition, wherein the ageing step is performed using a pulse-flow reactor.

Abstract: A methanol synthesis process includes reacting a process gas containing hydrogen, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide over a catalyst including shaped units formed from a reduced and passivated catalyst powder the powder including copper in the range 10-80% by weight, zinc oxide in the range 20-90% by weight, alumina in the range 5-60% by weight and optionally one or more oxidic promoter compounds selected from compounds of Mg, Cr, Mn, V, Ti, Zr, Ta, Mo, W, Si and rare earths in the range 0.01-10% by weight, to form a product gas, and condensing methanol, water and oxygenate by-products therefrom, wherein the total oxygenate by-product level in the condensate is below 500 ppm.

Abstract: A carbon oxides conversion process includes reacting a carbon oxide containing process gas containing hydrogen and/or steam and containing at least one of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst including shaped units formed from a reduced and passivated catalyst powder, the powder including copper in the range 10-80% by weight, zinc oxide in the range 20-90% by weight, alumina in the range 5-60% by weight and optionally one or more oxidic promoter compounds selected from compounds of Mg, Cr, Mn, V, Ti, Zr, Ta, Mo, W, Si and rare earths in the range 0.01-10% by weight, wherein said shaped units have a reduced to as-made mean horizontal crush strength ratio of ?0.5:1 and a copper surface area above 60 m2/g Cu.

Abstract: A methanol synthesis process includes reacting a process gas containing hydrogen, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide over a catalyst including shaped units formed from a reduced and passivated catalyst powder the powder including copper in the range 10-80% by weight, zinc oxide in the range 20-90% by weight, alumina in the range 5-60% by weight and optionally one or more oxidic promoter compounds selected from compounds of Mg, Cr, Mn, V, Ti, Zr, Ta, Mo, W, Si and rare earths in the range 0.01-10% by weight, to form a product gas, and condensing methanol, water and oxygenate by-products therefrom, wherein the total oxygenate by-product level in the condensate is below 500 ppm.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a catalyst composition comprises the steps of (i) precipitating one or more metal compounds from solution using an alkaline precipitant, preferably comprising an alkaline carbonate, optionally in the presence of a thermostabilising material, ii) ageing the precipitated composition, and (iii) recovering and drying the aged composition, wherein the ageing step is performed using a pulse-flow reactor.

Abstract: The production of ethylenically unsaturated acids or esters by the catalytic reaction of an alkanoic acid or ester, especially methyl propionate, with formaldehyde, and a catalyst therefor wherein the catalyst comprises a porous high surface area silica containing 1–10% by weight of an alkali metal, especially cesium (expressed as a metal) and having compounds of at least one modifier element selected from boron, magnesium, aluminium, zirconium and hafnium dispersed in the pores of said silica in such amount that the catalyst contains a total of 0.25 to 2 gram atoms of primary modifier element per 100 moles of silica.

Abstract: The production of ethylenically unsaturated acids or esters by the catalytic reaction of an alkanoic acid or ester, especially methyl propionate, with formaldehyde, and a catalyst therefor wherein the catalyst comprises a porous high surface area silica containing 1-10% by weight of an alkali metal, especially cesium (expressed as a metal) and having compounds of at least one modifier element selected from boron, magnesium, aluminium, zirconium and hafnium dispersed in the pores of said silica in such amount that the catalyst contains a total of 0.25 to 2 gram atoms of primary modifier element per 100 moles of silica.

Abstract: The production of ethylenically unsaturated acids or esters by the catalytic reaction of an alkanoic acid or ester, especially methyl propionate, with formaldehyde, and a catalyst therefor wherein the catalyst comprises a porous high surface area silica containing 1-10% by weight of an alkali metal, especially cesium, (expressed as metal) and having compounds of at least one modifier element selected from boron, magnesium, aluminum, zirconium and hafnium dispersed in the pores of said silica in such amount that the catalyst contains a total of 0.25 to 2 gram atoms of primary modifier element per 100 moles of silica.

Abstract: Stabilization of a reduced copper catalyst by a) passivating the catalyst by passing a gas stream that is free of reducing gases and which contains 0.05 to 0.5% by volume of oxygen and an amount of carbon dioxide at least twice the amount of oxygen through a bed of the catalyst until the catalyst is passivated, the proportion of oxygen in said gas stream and the temperature at which it is fed to the bed being such that the temperature of the catalyst does not rise to above 100.degree. C. during said passivation step, and then b) increasing the oxygen content of the gas passing through the bed until the oxygen partial pressure corresponds to that of air at atmospheric pressure. The process may be applied to the stabilization of fresh reduced catalysts or to the stabilization of used, e.g. spent catalysts, before discharge thereof from a reactor.

Abstract: Absorbent granules comprising an intimate mixture of particles of alumina trihydrate, 0.5 to 2 parts by weight of particles of a sodium component selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate and mixtures thereof per part by weight of said alumina trihydrate and from 5 to 20% by weight of a binder, said alumina trihydrate, sodium component and binder being present in such proportions that, after ignition of a sample of the granules at 900.degree. C., the sample has a sodium oxide, Na.sub.2 O, content of at least 20% by weight. Processes for manufacturing such absorbent granules and for using such absorbent granules for the removal of acidic gases are also disclosed.

Abstract: Absorbents, suitable for absorbing sulphur compounds such as hydrogen sulphide from gases and liquids, in the form of shaped units having an average size within the range 1-10 mm and containing at least 75% by weight of an absorbent material comprising copper carbonate, basic copper carbonate, and/or copper hydroxide. The units preferably have a bulk density of at least 0.9 kg/l, especially at least 1.2 kg/l. The units are preferably agglomerates containing a small amount of a binder such as a cement and may also contain a proportion of alumina to catalyse hydrolysis of carbon-containing sulphur compounds such as carbonyl sulphide or carbon disulphide.