Abstract: Disclosed herein are processes for producing phenol. The processes include oxidizing cyclohexylbenzene to produce an oxidation composition comprising cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide. The cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide in the oxidation composition may undergo a cleavage reaction to produce a cleavage reaction mixture comprising phenol, cyclohexanone and at least one contaminant. The cleavage reaction mixture may be contacted with a basic material to convert at least a portion of the contaminant to a converted contaminant, thereby producing a modified reaction mixture.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for producing phenol. The process includes oxidizing at least a portion of a feed comprising cyclohexylbenzene to produce an oxidation composition comprising cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide. The oxidation composition may then be cleaved in the presence of an acid catalyst to produce a cleavage reaction mixture comprising the acid catalyst, phenol and cyclohexanone. At least a portion of the cleavage reaction mixture may be neutralized with a basic material to form a treated cleavage reaction mixture. In various embodiments, the cleavage reaction mixture contains 1 wt % to 30 wt % phenol, 1 wt % to 30 wt % cyclohexanone and a complexation product.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for producing phenol. The process includes oxidizing at least a portion of a feed comprising cyclohexylbenzene to produce an oxidation composition comprising cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide. The oxidation composition may then be cleaved in the presence of an acid catalyst to produce a cleavage reaction mixture comprising the acid catalyst, phenol and cyclohexanone. At least a portion of the cleavage reaction mixture may be neutralized with a basic material to form a treated cleavage reaction mixture. In various embodiments, the cleavage reaction mixture contains 1 wt % to 30 wt % phenol, 1 wt % to 30 wt % cyclohexanone and a complexation product.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are processes for producing phenol. The processes include oxidizing cyclohexylbenzene to produce an oxidation composition comprising cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide. The cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide in the oxidation composition may undergo a cleavage reaction to produce a cleavage reaction mixture comprising phenol, cyclohexanone and at least one contaminant. The cleavage reaction mixture may be contacted with a basic material to convert at least a portion of the contaminant to a converted contaminant, thereby producing a modified reaction mixture.

Abstract: Described herein are compositions having (a) at least 99 wt % cyclohexanone; and (b) 0.1 wppm to 1000 wppm of at least one of cyclohexanedione and hydroxycyclohexanone. The wt % and wppm are based upon the total weight of the composition. The compositions may further comprise 0.1 wppm to 1000 wppm of cyclohexanol.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a reactor system comprising at least one reactor wherein makeup water for said system is preheated by water/steam exiting said reactor. In a preferred embodiment the system comprises plural reactors and the invention provides for each reactor to independently achieve isothermal operating conditions.

Abstract: This invention is to a method and system for operating a hydrocarbon conversion process. A two stage reactor system is used in which the gas superficial velocity of the second reaction stage is greater than that in the first reaction stage. The first reaction stage operates at more continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) like characteristics, and the second reaction stage operates at more plug flow reactor (PFR) like characteristics.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a hydrocarbon conversion apparatus and process. The apparatus comprises the following: a plurality of riser reactors, each having a first end into which a catalyst is fed, a second end through which the catalyst can exit, and optionally a center axis extending therebetween. The apparatus also includes a separation zone having a plurality of inlets, each inlet not being oriented along the center axes of the riser reactors, the separation zone being provided to separate the catalyst from products of a reaction conducted in the hydrocarbon conversion apparatus. A plurality of deviating members are also provided, each deviating member being in fluid communication between the second end of a respective riser reactor and a respective inlet of the separation zone. The apparatus also includes a catalyst retention zone provided to contain catalyst, which is fed to the riser reactors.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for removing alkynes and/or dienes from an olefin product stream withdrawn from an oxygenate-to-olefins reactor. The process comprises hydrogenating a first olefin stream that has alkynes and/or dienes in the presence of excess hydrogen and a first hydrogenation catalyst. The hydrogenation of the first olefin stream produces a second olefin stream that has unreacted hydrogen. The second olefin stream is contacted with a second hydrogenation catalyst producing a third olefin stream. The third olefin stream has low levels of hydrogen and alkynes and/or dienes.

Abstract: This invention is directed to controlling regenerator temperature in an oxygenate to olefin process. Because a significant amount of heat can produced in the regenerator during the regeneration process, at least a portion of the heat must be removed to keep the system from getting too hot. This invention removes heat during the regeneration of the catalyst, using appropriate circulation of catalyst between the reactor and the regenerator. Sufficient circulation can eliminate the need for the use of a catalyst cooler in the regeneration system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for making an olefin product from an oxygenate-containing feedstock comprising: a) contacting the feedstock in a reaction zone with catalyst particles comprising a molecular sieve containing acid sites and having an average coke loading of 1 to 10 carbon atoms per acid site of said molecular sieve, under conditions effective to convert the feedstock into an olefin product stream and to provide unregenerated catalyst particles, b) removing a portion of said catalyst particles from said reaction zone and contacting said portion with a regeneration medium in a regeneration zone under conditions effective to obtain regenerated catalyst particles which have an average coke loading of no greater than 10 carbon atoms per acid site of said molecular sieve, and c) introducing said regenerated catalyst particles into said reaction zone to provide a catalyst mixture of unregenerated catalyst particles and regenerated catalyst particles, in an amount sufficient to provide an avera

Abstract: The present invention is a process for removing alkynes and/or dienes from an olefin product stream withdrawn from an oxygenate-to-olefins reactor. The process comprises hydrogenating a first olefin stream that has alkynes and/or dienes in the presence of excess hydrogen and a first hydrogenation catalyst. The hydrogenation of the first olefin stream produces a second olefin stream that has unreacted hydrogen. The second olefin stream is contacted with a second hydrogenation catalyst producing a third olefin stream. The third olefin stream has low levels of hydrogen and alkynes and/or dienes.

Abstract: The present invention provides various processes for selectively removing undesirably sized catalyst particles from a reaction system. In one embodiment, a plurality of catalyst particles, having a first median particle diameter, is withdrawn from the reaction system and is directed to a separation unit such as a counter flow cyclone separator. In the separation unit, the particles are separated into a small catalyst stream and a large catalyst stream, the small catalyst stream having a second median particle diameter less than the first median particle diameter, and the large catalyst stream having a third median particle diameter greater than the first median particle diameter. At least a portion of the small or large catalyst stream is then directed back to the reaction system in order to maintain a desirable particle size distribution therein.

Abstract: The present invention provides various processes for fluidizing molecular sieve catalyst compositions in a fluidized bed reaction system. The invention comprises fluidizing a molecular sieve catalyst composition with a reactive fluidizing medium under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the fluidizing medium to additional product. The invention is ideally suited for implementation into an oxygenate to olefin reaction system, in which the fluidizing medium optionally comprises byproducts of the oxygenate to olefin conversion reaction.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a hydrocarbon conversion apparatus and process. The apparatus comprises the following: a plurality of riser reactors, each having a first end into which a catalyst is fed, a second end through which the catalyst can exit, and optionally a center axis extending therebetween. The apparatus also includes a separation zone having a plurality of inlets, each inlet not being oriented along the center axes of the riser reactors, the separation zone being provided to separate the catalyst from products of a reaction conducted in the hydrocarbon conversion apparatus. A plurality of deviating members are also provided, each deviating member being in fluid communication between the second end of a respective riser reactor and a respective inlet of the separation zone. The apparatus also includes a catalyst retention zone provided to contain catalyst, which is fed to the riser reactors.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for making an olefin product from an oxygenate feedstock which comprises: a) contacting the feedstock in a reaction zone with a catalyst comprising i) a molecular sieve having defined pore openings and ii) a CO oxidation metal, under conditions effective to convert the feedstock into an olefin product stream comprising C2–C3 olefins and to form carbonaceous deposits on the catalyst so as to provide a carbon-containing catalyst; b) contacting at least a portion of the carbon-containing catalyst with a regeneration medium comprising oxygen in a regeneration zone comprising a fluid bed regenerator having a dense fluid phase and a dilute fluid phase under conditions effective to obtain a regenerated catalyst portion, wherein the difference between the temperature of the dilute phase and the temperature of the dense phase is no greater than 100° C.; c) introducing said regenerated catalyst portion into said reaction zone; and d) repeating steps a)–c).

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for removing oxygenate impurities, e.g., dimethyl ether, from an olefinic product stream by converting the oxygenate impurity to a compound whose boiling point differs by at least about 5° C. from the oxygenate impurity. Typically, the compound is more readily removable from the product stream than the oxygenate impurity.

Abstract: This invention is directed to controlling regenerator temperature in an oxygenate to olefin process. Because a significant amount of heat can produced in the regenerator during the regeneration process, at least a portion of the heat must be removed to keep the system from getting too hot. This invention removes heat during the regeneration of the catalyst, using appropriate circulation of catalyst between the reactor and the regenerator. Sufficient circulation can eliminate the need for the use of a catalyst cooler in the regeneration system.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for removing alkynes and/or dienes from an olefin product stream withdrawn from an oxygenate-to-olefins reactor. The process comprises hydrogenating a first olefin stream that has alkynes and/or dienes in the presence of excess hydrogen and a first hydrogenation catalyst. The hydrogenation of the first olefin stream produces a second olefin stream that has unreacted hydrogen. The second olefin stream is contacted with a second hydrogenation catalyst producing a third olefin stream. The third olefin stream has low levels of hydrogen and alkynes and/or dienes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for removing oxygenate impurities, e.g., dimethyl ether, from an olefinic product stream by converting the oxygenate impurity to a compound whose boiling point differs by at least about 5° C. from the oxygenate impurity. Typically, the compound is more readily removable from the product stream than the oxygenate impurity.