Abstract: The catalytic oxidation of offensive substances, such as cyanides, sulfides, sulfites, thiosulfates, mercaptans, disulfides, phenol, cresol, ammonia and mixtures thereof, contained in wastewater. The process involves contacting the wastewater with a source of oxygen over a catalyst comprising a combination of a Group VIII and a Group VIA metal or metal compound on a support that is inert in the hydrothermal conditions of the wastewater treatment. An example of the catalytic support is activated carbon and examples of the metal combinations include NiMo, NiW, and CoMo.

Abstract: A process is provided for synthesis of dialkylcarbonate, e.g., dimethylcarbonate, by reacting an alcohol, e.g., methanol, with a cyclic carbonate, e.g., propylene carbonate, in the presence of a catalyst comprising an alkaline earth metal halide, e.g., magnesium iodide, and a solid support having a high surface area and controlled surface hydroxyl concentration.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for reclaiming HF and producing valuable gasoline blending components from the conjunct polymeric byproducts (acid soluble oil or ASO) formed as a byproduct of acid-catalyzed isoparaffin-olefin alkylation comprising the steps of:(a) reacting isoparaffin and olefin in the presence of a liquid acid alkylation catalyst to form alkylate and ASO byproduct;(b) separating alkylate, unreacted isoparaffin, and a majority of said liquid acid alkylation catalyst from said ASO;(c) reacting said separated ASO of step (b) under conditions of elevated temperature and pressure to convert the hydrocarbon portion of said ASO to gasoline boiling range hydrocarbons and to liberate HF.In a preferred embodiment, the ASO is pre-mixed with hydrogen or a hydrogen donor before reaction at elevated temperature and pressure. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the elevated temperature reaction is carried out in the presence of a catalyst such as activated carbon.

Abstract: A corrosion inhibitor is disclosed which is produced by reacting an aqueous alkanolamine solution with an acid gas to form an amide and an alkanolamine salt, mixing aqueous alkanolamine with said amide and said alkanolamine salt in the absence of added inorganic base, and reacting the mixture at elevated temperature.

Abstract: A regenerative mercury removal process for simultaneously removing high mercury and water content from a fluid comprising; contacting for a sufficient time a high content mercury-containing fluid with an adsorbent bed having sufficient silver coated or impregnated thereon to remove therefrom substantial amounts of mercury and water; regenerating the adsorbent using a regenerative gas and condensing-out and recovering the mercury to yield a fuel substantially free from mercury.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process which involves visbreaking of residual oil to produce fuel oil or distillate. The visbreaking is conducted at high severity in a liquid phase, fluidized bed reactor with an H.sub.2 quench in the settling zone. The visbreaker effluent and H.sub.2 are then hydrotreated to stabilize the product by saturating the unstable species, such as olefins, radicals and other fragments from cracking.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for synthesizing a reactive sulfur-containing adsorbent material for removing metals, preferably mercury, from hydrocarbon fluids. The method includes impregnating a porous polystyrene resin with elemental sulfur, and heating the impregnated resin/sulfur mixture to chemically fix the sulfur to the resin. The elemental sulfur may be in solid, liquid, or vapor phase under conditions of contact with the resin. Also disclosed is the reactive adsorbent synthesized by this method. Also, a process is disclosed for removing mercury from hydrocarbon fluids by using a reactive adsorbent of the invention.

Abstract: Waste materials are removed from Stretford solution in the form of sulfates by catalytic oxidation. The Stretford solution, which was used to treat sulfur contaminated gas streams is first regenerated by oxidation to restore the vanadium present to a pentavalent form. It is then passed to a reaction zone where it is contacted with a catalyst and an oxygen source. The catalyst comprises a porous solid substrate on which a metal or metal compound insoluble in Stretford solution is deposited. Waste materials, primarily thiosulfates, are thus oxidized to sulfates. The effluent of the reaction zone is then passed to a crystallizer, where the sulfates are precipitated out as crystals of Glauber's salt. The Glauber's salt is recovered as a product and the Stretford solution is recycled to a scrubber for the treatment of gas streams.

Abstract: Waste water chemical oxygen demand is reduced from a waste water by passing the water in the presence of an oxidizing agent through an adsorbent porous solid substrate, preferably zeolite A, zeolite X, zeolite Y, ZSM-5, erionite, or chabazite which has been partially ion exchanged with a water insoluble metal compound, copper (Cu), that cataytically facilitates oxidation of the offensive substances or the components in the waste water that increase its chemical oxygen demand, such as cyanide, sulfide, thiosulfate, sulfite, mercaptan, or disulfide. The preferred oxidizing agent is air. It is desired to develop a process for waste water treatment that is effective at reducing the concentration of the offensive substances in the waste water while minimizing the deposition of undesirable residues into the treated waste water.

Abstract: Waste water chemical oxygen demand is reduced from a waste water by passing the water in the presence of an oxidizing agent through an adsorbent porous solid substrate, preferably zeolite A, zeolite X, zeolite Y, ZSM-5, erionite, chabasite or activated carbon which has been partially ion exchanged with a water insoluble metal compound, preferably copper (Cu), that facilitates oxidation of the components in the waste water that increase its chemical oxygen demand, such as sulfide, thiosulfate, sulfite, mercaptan, or disulfide. The preferred oxidizing agent is air.

Abstract: An adsorption system, such as a composite drier-bed, having at least two distinct adsorption regions for simultaneously drying and removing metallic/inorganic and organic forms of mercury from a fluid including a container having an entrance area and an exit area; a distinct first region located within said container and proximal to said entrance area of a porous substrate having elemental silver associated therewith; and a distinct second region adjacent thereto of a porous substrate having elemental gold associated therewith. The first region substantially removes water and metallic forms of mercury and the second region substantially removes organic forms of mercury and residual water from said fluid. A method of removing both metallic and organic mercury simultaneously with water as well as a means for regenerating the drier-bed is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for removing heat stable salts which accumulate in alkanolamine gas purification process units. Surprisingly, it has been found that weakly acidic cationic exchange resins are dramatically more effective for removing heat stable salts from alkanolamine solutions than strongly acidic cationic exchange resins.Specifically, it has been found in accordance with the invention that ion exchange resins are useful for purifying used aqueous alkanolamine solutions, in the following order of preference: Weak Acid IX>Weak Base IX>Strong Acid IX>Strong Base IX.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the removal of heat stable salts from ethanolamine gas purification process units using ion-exchange resins and for regenerating said ion-exchange resins in-situ.

Abstract: The present invention relates a method for decreasing the time required for degassing a hydroprocessing reactor fabricated from a base metal with or without an alloy overlay.

Abstract: A method for removing mercury from natural gas comprises addition of a sulfur-containing agent to form sulfides of mercury, addition of organic base to absorb hydrogen sulfide, and subsequent contact of said natural gas with a molecular sieve to remove water therefrom, further comprising contacting said organic base-containing natural gas with a guard bed to substantially remove said organic base prior to said removing of water.

Abstract: A process for making alkyl formates from a synthesis gas is described in which a synthesis gas stream is separated into a first stream and a second stream which contain CO and H.sub.2. The CO and H.sub.2 are reacted under high pressures to produce methanol. The CO of the second stream is reacted with water to produce formic acid. The formic acid and methanol are reacted in the presence of an alkali or alkaline earth metal catalyst such as NaOH to produce an effluent stream which includes alkyl formate and H.sub.2. The H.sub.2 is separated and recycled to the alcohol synthesis zone as a second source of H.sub.2.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for regenerating spent alkanolamine solutions containing diethanolamine, to restore their acid gas sorption capacity by converting diethanolamine degradation products to the diethanolamine precursor while avoiding substantial thermal decomposition of diethanolamine.

Abstract: Cyanide is removed from a cyanide-containing waste water by passing the water through an adsorbent porous solid substrate which has been treated with a water insoluble metal compound, preferably copper sulfide (CuS), that facilitates adsorption of the cyanide, a preferred adsorbent substrate is activated carbon. An oxidizing agent is supplied to the adsorbent to oxidize the adsorbed cyanide, the preferred oxidizing agent is a source of oxygen such as air. Ammonia is passed over the bed along with the waste water to enhance the longevity of the adsorbent.

Abstract: The process relates to on-line rejuvenation of adsorbent beds which are used for removing mercury from mercury contaminated feeds.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for purifying alkanolamine solutions which have lost at least a portion of their acid gas sorption capacity due to degradation of the alkanolamine into heat stable salts. Particularly, it has been found that the alkanolamine solution may be rejuvenated by charging the solution to the feed zone of a distillation column reactor at temperatures above about 160.degree. C. and pressure of less than about 2000 mm Hg.