Abstract: The disclosed invention relates to a process for converting ethylbenzene to styrene, comprising: flowing a feed composition comprising ethylbenzene in at least one process microchannel in contact with at least one catalyst to dehydrogenate the ethylbenzene and form a product comprising styrene; exchanging heat between the process microchannel and at least one heat exchange channel in thermal contact with the process microchannel; and removing product from the process microchannel. Also disclosed is an apparatus comprising a process microchannel, a heat exchange channel, and a heat transfer wall positioned between the process microchannel and heat exchange channel wherein the heat transfer wall comprises a thermal resistance layer.

Abstract: The disclosed invention relates to a process, comprising: flowing a first reactant feed stream comprising a reactant substrate and a second reactant feed stream comprising an alkylating agent, an acylating agent or a mixture thereof, in a process microchannel in contact with each other to form a product comprising at least one alkylation product, at least one acylation product, or a mixture thereof; transferring heat from the process microchannel to a heat sink; and removing the product from the process microchannel.

Abstract: The disclosed invention relates to a process for converting ethylbenzene to styrene, comprising: flowing a feed composition comprising ethylbenzene in at least one process microchannel in contact with at least one catalyst to dehydrogenate the ethylbenzene and form a product comprising styrene; exchanging heat between the process microchannel and at least one heat exchange channel in thermal contact with the process microchannel; and removing product from the process microchannel. Also disclosed is an apparatus comprising a process microchannel, a heat exchange channel, and a heat transfer wall positioned between the process microchannel and heat exchange channel wherein the heat transfer wall comprises a thermal resistance layer.

Abstract: The disclosed invention relates to a process for converting ethylbenzene to styrene, comprising: flowing a feed composition comprising ethylbenzene in at least one process microchannel in contact with at least one catalyst to dehydrogenate the ethylbenzene and form a product comprising styrene; exchanging heat between the process microchannel and at least one heat exchange channel in thermal contact with the process microchannel; and removing product from the process microchannel. Also disclosed is an apparatus comprising a process microchannel, a heat exchange channel, and a heat transfer wall positioned between the process microchannel and heat exchange channel wherein the heat transfer wall comprises a thermal resistance layer.

Abstract: The disclosed invention relates to a distillation process for separating two or more components having different volatilities from a liquid mixture containing the components. The process employs microchannel technology for effecting the distillation and is particularly suitable for conducting difficult separations, such as the separation of ethane from ethylene, wherein the individual components are characterized by having volatilities that are very close to one another.

Abstract: The disclosed invention relates to a distillation process for separating two or more components having different volatilities from a liquid mixture containing the components. The process employs microchannel technology for effecting the distillation and is particularly suitable for conducting difficult separations, such as the separation of ethane from ethylene, wherein the individual components are characterized by having volatilities that are very close to one another.

Abstract: The hydroconversion of heavy petroliferous stocks boiling mainly above 400.degree. F. is carried out in a distillation column reactor where concurrently a petroleum stream is fed into a feed zone; hydrogen is fed at a point below said feed zone; the petroleum stream is distilled and contacted in the presence of a cracking catalyst prepared in the form of a catalytic distillation structure at total pressure of less than about 300 psig and a hydrogen partial pressure in the range of 1.0 to less than 70 psia and a temperature in the range of 400 to 1000.degree. F. whereby a portion of the petroleum stream is cracked to lighter products boiling below the boiling point of the feed and products are distilled to remove a vaporous overhead stream comprising products mainly boiling below the boiling point of the feed and a liquid bottoms stream.

Abstract: Catalytic distillation reactions are improved by having an inert condensing component present in the reaction which is boiling and condensing within the reaction which washes the catalyst in the system and, in the case of gaseous reactants, occludes a portion of the reactants to facilitate the reaction without unduly high pressures. The inert condensing component is boiling at the conditions within the reactor and is taken overhead for condensation and return as reflux. The inert condensing component may occlude the gaseous reactants allowing for better contact with the catalyst and provides the benefits of concurrent reaction and distillation, for example, the reaction of CO and H.sub.2 over a copper catalyst to produce methanol using propane as the inert condensing component.

Abstract: The overheads from an etherification distillation column reactor containing unreacted alcohol and isoolefin are fed to a finishing reactor and then a portion of the effluent from the finishing reactor is returned to the distillation column reactor.

Abstract: A mixed aromatic stream is hydrotreated to remove olefins and fractionated to separate C.sub.9 + heavies in a distillation column reactor and the C.sub.8 and lighter material is fed to a selective adsorption unit where the para-xylene is removed. The para-xylene depleted raffinate therefrom may be subjected to isomerization to form additional para-xylene. The effluent from the isomerization can be fed to the distillation column reactor for hydrogenation of any olefins formed during the isomerization or directly to the adsorption unit.

Abstract: A catalytic cracked naphtha is desulfurized with minimum loss of olefins and octane. The naphtha is fed to a first distillation column reactor which acts as a depentanizer or dehexanizer with the lighter material containing most of the olefins and mercaptans being boiled up into a first distillation reaction zone where the mercaptans are reacted with diolefins to form sulfides which are removed in the bottoms along with any higher boiling sulfur compounds. The bottoms are subjected to hydrodesulfurization in a second distillation column reactor where the sulfur compounds are converted to H.sub.2 S and removed. The lighter fraction containing most of the olefins is thus not subjected to the more harsh hydrogenation conditions of the second reactor.

Abstract: A multi-purpose distillation column reactor is disclosed which may be used for the production of tertiary amyl methyl ether from the reaction of the isoamylenes contained in a light naphtha with methanol. Two reaction distillation zones are disposed above a stripping section. The stripping, in addition to removing the TAME product, also removes the C.sub.6 and heavier components. The first reaction distillation zone contains a hydrotreating catalyst for removing diolefins and mercaptans. The second distillation reaction zone contains an acid cation exchange resin for the etherification reaction and the entire column serves to fractionate the multiple component reaction system (reacts, inerts, products and contaminants) concurrently with the multiple reactions.

Abstract: A method for removing soluble contaminants, such as acetonitrile, from a non-polar hydrocarbon stream into a polar water stream by countercurrent flow between an electrostatic field generated by a pair of parallel electrodes. The electrostatic field is modulated in strength to produce a dispersing, mixing, coalescing, and settling cycle that is effective to mix and separate the fluids.

Abstract: A multi-purpose distillation column reactor is disclosed which may be used for the production of tertiary amyl methyl ether from the reaction of the isoamylenes contained in a light naphtha with methanol. Two reaction distillation zones are disposed above a stripping section. The stripping, in addition to removing the TAME product, also removes the C.sub.6 and heavier components. The first reaction distillation zone contains a hydrotreating catalyst for removing diolefins and mercaptans. The second distillation reaction zone contains an acid cation exchange resin for the etherification reaction and the entire column serves to fractionate the multiple component reaction system (reacts, inerts, products and contaminants) concurrently with the multiple reactions.

Abstract: A process for recovering hydrogen from a cracking effluent wherein a cracking effluent is compressed, and then at least a portion of the hydrogen is separated from the cracking effluent prior to cooling of the cracking effluent to remove lower-boiling components. The separation of hydrogen is preferably accomplished by passing the cracking effluent through at least one semi-permeable membrane.