Abstract: A process for improving the smell of a stream of elemental sulphur comprising an organic polysulphide and/or a thiol, the process comprising the following step: (a) heating the stream of liquid elemental sulphur comprising an organic polysulphide and/or a thiol at a heating temperature in the range of from 360 to 700° C., at a pressure that is sufficient to maintain a liquid elemental sulphur phase to obtain heat-treated elemental sulphur.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a packed bed comprising an iron enriched cobalt catalyst for use in a Fischer-Tropsch reaction, the process comprising the steps of: (a) providing a packed bed with one or more catalyst particles comprising metallic cobalt; (b) contacting a part of the catalyst particle(s) in the packed bed with an iron containing compound. The process is preferably conducted in situ which conveniently results in an iron containing cobalt catalyst with a higher C5+ selectivity. In certain preferred embodiments the concentration of iron increases towards the surface of the resulting catalyst particles whereas the cobalt concentration is constant which further increases the selectivity of the catalyst to producing C5+ hydrocarbons.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for disposal of mercaptans, the process comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a feed gas stream comprising mercaptans with liquid sulphur in a sulphide producing zone at elevated pressure and at a temperature in the range of from 300 to 450° C. to obtain a liquid stream comprising sulphur and sulphide compounds; (b) optionally separating the liquid stream obtained in step (a) into a first liquid phase enriched in liquid sulphur and a second liquid phase enriched in sulphide compounds; (c) combusting at least part of the sulphide compounds at elevated temperature in the presence of an oxygen-containing gas in a sulphur dioxide generation zone using a sulphide burner to which burner oxygen-containing gas is supplied, whereby at least part of the sulphide compounds is converted to sulphur dioxide to obtain a gas stream comprising sulphur dioxide.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the manufacture of carbon disulphide by reacting carbon monoxide with elemental sulphur to form carbonyl sulphide and disproportionating the carbonyl sulphide formed into carbon disulphide and carbon dioxide, the process comprising contacting a gaseous stream comprising carbon monoxide with a liquid elemental sulphur phase containing a solid catalyst at a temperature in the range of from 250 to 700° C. to obtain a gaseous phase comprising carbonyl sulphide, carbon disulphide and carbon dioxide. The invention further provides the use of a liquid stream comprising carbon disulphide, carbonyl sulphide and carbon dioxide obtainable by such process for enhanced oil recovery.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for producing a gas stream depleted of H2S from a feed gas stream comprising H2S, the process comprising the steps of: (a) selectively oxidizing H2S by supplying the feed gas stream comprising H2S, an inert liquid medium and a molecular-oxygen comprising gas stream to a reaction zone comprising at least one catalytic zone comprising an oxidation catalyst and contacting the oxidation catalyst of each catalytic zone with the feed gas stream and/or the molecular-oxygen comprising gas stream in the presence of inert liquid medium at a temperature in the range of from 120 to 160° C.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the manufacture of carbon disulphide comprising supplying a molecular oxygen-containing gas and a feedstock comprising a hydrocarbonaceous compound to a reaction zone containing a liquid elemental sulphur phase and reacting, in the liquid sulphur phase, at a temperature in the range of from 300 to 750° C., the hydrocarbonaceous compound with elemental sulphur to form carbon disulphide and hydrogen sulphide and oxidising at least part of the hydrogen sulphide formed to elemental sulphur and water. The invention further provides the use of a liquid stream comprising carbon disulphide, hydrogen sulphide and carbonyl sulphide obtainable such process for enhanced oil recovery.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a catalyst, a catalyst precursor, or a catalyst support comprising: (a) mixing a refractory metal oxide or precursor thereof with a liquid to form a paste; (b) adding said paste to an extruder, the extruder having a die plate comprising one or more dies, each die having a plurality of apertures, the outlet of each aperture having a cross sectional area of 6 mm2 or less; (c) extruding the paste through the apertures to form catalyst support extrudates; wherein the inlet of the apertures has a greater cross sectional area than the outlet of said apertures; and wherein for at least one die the combined cross sectional area of all apertures at the inlet relative to the total cross sectional area of the die at the inlet is higher than 50%.

Abstract: The invention relates to a shaped catalyst or catalyst precursor containing a catalytically active component or a precursor therefore, the component selected from elements of Group VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements, supported on a carrier, which catalyst or catalyst precursor is an elongated shaped particle having three protrusions each extending from and attached to a central position, wherein the central position is aligned along the longitudinal axis of the particle, the cross-section of the particle occupying the space encompassed by the outer edges of six circles around a central circle, each of the six circles touching two neighboring circles while three alternating circles are equidistant to the central circle and may be attached to the central circle, minus the space occupied by the three remaining outer circles and including the six interstitial regions.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the manufacture of carbon disulphide comprising supplying a feedstock comprising a hydrocarbonaceous compound to a reaction zone containing a liquid elemental sulphur phase and reacting, in the liquid sulphur phase, at a temperature in the range of from 350 to 750° C. and a pressure in the range of from 3 to 200 bar (absolute) and in the absence of a catalyst, the hydrocarbonaceous compound with elemental sulphur in the absence of molecular oxygen. The invention further provides the use of a liquid stream comprising carbon disulphide and hydrogen sulphide obtainable by such process for enhanced oil recovery.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of styrene comprising the gas phase dehydration of 1-phenylethanol at elevated temperature in the presence of a dehydration catalyst in which the dehydration catalyst is a shaped alumina catalyst particles having a surface area (BET) of from 80 to 140 m2/g and a pore volume (Hg) of more than 0.65 ml/g.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a catalyst or catalyst precursor, comprising the steps of: (a) admixing: (i) a catalytically active metal or metal compound (ii) a carrier material (iii) a gluing agent; and (iv) optionally one or more promoters, and/or one or more co-catalysts; (b) forming the mixture of step (a); and (c) drying the product of step (b) for more than 5 hours at a temperature up to 100 C to form the catalyst or catalyst precursor. The catalyst material mixture does not need to be calcined after forming to achieve the required minimum strength for use in a suitable reaction, such as Fischer Tropsch.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a catalyst precursor for use in a reactor, comprising the steps of: (a) coating one or more promoter(s) and/or one or more co-catalyst(s) onto a carrier material to form a coated carrier material; (b) combining a catalyst material with the coated carrier material of step (a); and (c) calcining the material of step (b).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a catalyst, a catalyst precursor, or a catalyst support comprising: (a) mixing a refractory metal oxide or precursor thereof with a liquid to form a paste; (b) adding said paste to an extruder, the extruder having a die plate comprising one or more dies, each die having a plurality of apertures, the outlet of each aperture having a cross sectional area of 6 mm2 or less; (c) extruding the paste through the apertures to form catalyst support extrudates; wherein the inlet of the apertures has a greater cross sectional area than the outlet of said apertures; and wherein for at least one die the combined cross sectional area of all apertures at the inlet relative to the total cross sectional area of the die at the inlet is higher than 50%.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for preparing a sulphur cement product comprising the following steps: (a) selectively oxidising hydrogen sulphide to elemental sulphur by contacting, in a reaction zone, a hydrogen sulphide containing feed gas and a molecular-oxygen containing gas with a particulate oxidation catalyst under selective oxidation conditions; (b) discharging a stream comprising liquid and/or solid elemental sulphur and particulate oxidation catalyst from the reaction zone; (c) admixing the stream comprising elemental sulphur and particulate oxidation catalyst with at least any one of elemental sulphur, a sulphur cement filler, a sulphur cement modifier, or aggregate at a temperature at which sulphur is molten; (d) solidifying the mixture obtained in step (c) by cooling it to a temperature below the melting temperature of sulphur to obtain the sulphur cement product.

Abstract: A catalyst is provided comprising nickel in a reduced valence state on a carrier comprising zinc oxide and alumina, wherein the Zn:Ni atomic ratio is at least 12, and the catalyst particles are prepared by a) mixing zinc oxide in the form of a powder and alumina or an alumina precursor in the form of a powder; b) peptising the powder mixture and forming an extrudable dough by adding acid and water to the powder mixture in such amounts that the dough contains 0.8-1.2 moles acid equivalents per kg powder; c) extruding the extrudable dough to form extrudates; d) drying and calcining the extrudates; e) impregnating the extrudates with an aqueous solution of a nickel compound; f) drying, calcining and reducing the impregnated extrudates.

Abstract: A process for the selective oxidation of hydrogen sulphide in a hydrogen sulphide containing feed gas to elemental sulphur, wherein the hydrogen sulphide containing feed gas (3), an inert liquid medium (5), and a molecular-oxygen containing gas (4) are supplied to a reaction zone (1) comprising at least one catalytic zone (2) comprising an oxidation catalyst to form elemental sulphur and a gaseous stream depleted in hydrogen sulphide (8), in which process the oxidation catalyst of each catalytic zone (2) is contacted with hydrogen sulphide and/or molecular-oxygen in the presence of inert liquid medium at a temperature in the range of from 120 to 160° C., under such conditions that the elemental sulphur formed is essentially in liquid form and is removed from the reaction zone with the inert liquid medium.

Abstract: An elongate, shaped particle having three protrusions each extending from and attached to a central position aligned along the central longitudinal axis of the particle, the cross-section of the particle occupying the area encompassed by the outer edges of six outer circles around a central circle minus the area occupied by three alternating outer circles, wherein each of the six outer circles is touching two neighbouring outer circles and wherein three alternating outer circles are equidistant to the central circle, have the same diameter, and may be attached to the central circle.

Abstract: A process for preparing a shell metal catalyst or a precursor of a shell metal catalyst which process includes the steps of: applying a slurry having a diluent; a catalytically active metal or a precursor compound thereof; and optionally a refractory oxide; designated hereinafter as “first refractory oxide” of an element having an atomic number of at least 20 or a precursor of the first refractory oxide; onto the surface of particles of a core carrier; forming a wet coating; and removing at least a part of the diluent from the wet coating; wherein the slurry has at least 5% w of the catalytically active metal or the precursor compound thereof; calculated on the weight of the metal relative to the weight of calcinations residue which can be formed from the slurry by drying the slurry and calcining. The invention also relates to a shell metal catalyst or a precursor of a shell metal catalyst which is obtainable by the process; and the use of the shell metal catalyst in a chemical conversion process.

Abstract: A process for preparing organic hydroperoxide having a reduced content of contaminants, which process involves: (a) oxidation of an organic compound to obtain reaction product containing an organic hydroperoxide; (b) contacting at least part of the organic hydroperoxide containing reaction product with a basic aqueous solution; (c) separating the hydrocarbonaceous phase containing organic hydroperoxide from the aqueous phase; (d) washing at least part of the separated hydrocarbonaceous phase containing organic hydroperoxide; and (e) contacting at least part of the hydrocarbonaceous phase containing organic hydroperoxide with a guard bed having solid adsorbent with a void content of from 50% to 98% by volume.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of isopropanol is provided, wherein a benzene-containing feed of acetone is hydrogenated to obtain isopropanol and hydrogenation products of benzene. Combination of such a process with a process for the preparation of phenol and combination of such a process with a series of separation steps is provided.