Abstract: SO3 is formed from a replenished circulating inventory of fresh and recycled SO2. Also, a feed stream of replenished SO2 is heated by indirect heat exchange with a hot stream of SO2 and SO3 whereby the hot stream is cooled for separating the two gases. The heated feed stream of replenished SO2 serves as a hot gaseous feed to a sulfur burner. This SO2 feed is divided into two feed streams, one being oxygenated with pure oxygen and the other remains as an SO2 feed. These feeds plus a feed of molten sulfur are concurrently and separately introduced into the sulfur burner where additional SO2 is formed via continuous exothermic reaction. Although heated, the oxygenated feed(s) of SO2 bring in the needed oxygen for the reaction and the feeds of the oxygenated and non-oxygenated SO2 serve as a heat sink in the sulfur burner to reduce the temperature therein.

Abstract: SO3 is formed from a replenished circulating inventory of fresh and recycled SO2. Also, a feed stream of replenished SO2 is heated by indirect heat exchange with a hot stream of SO2 and SO3 whereby the hot stream is cooled for separating the two gases. The heated feed stream of replenished SO2 serves as a hot gaseous feed to a sulfur burner. This SO2 feed is divided into two feed streams, one being oxygenated with pure oxygen and the other remains as an SO2 feed. These feeds plus a feed of molten sulfur are concurrently and separately introduced into the sulfur burner where additional SO2 is formed via continuous exothermic reaction. Although heated, the oxygenated feed(s) of SO2 bring in the needed oxygen for the reaction and the feeds of the oxygenated and non-oxygenated SO2 serve as a heat sink in the sulfur burner to reduce the temperature therein.

Abstract: A process for oxygen-initiated hydrobromination of propene to form a crude reaction mixture of 95 GC area % n-propyl bromide. The process includes feeding an oxygen-containing gas, propene and hydrogen bromide into a liquid phase mixture comprised of n-propyl bromide and hydrogen bromide. At least the oxygen-containing gas and the propene of the feed are fed subsurface to the liquid phase mixture and either (a) the oxygen-containing gas and the propene do not come together in the absence of hydrogen bromide or (b) the oxygen-containing gas and the propene come together only in a propene:oxygen molar ratio in the range of 145:1 to 180:1. Purification processes provide a propyl bromide product containing at least 99.7 GC area % n-propyl bromide. Also provided is a novel composition of enhanced thermal stability which comprises a mixture of n-propyl bromide and isopropyl bromide. The mixture has an n-propyl bromide content of at least 99.7 GC area %, and an isopropyl bromide content of no more than 0.

Abstract: Processes are provided for conjointly producing Br2 and a concentrated aqueous solution containing at least about 5 wt % CaCI2, based on the weight of the concentrated aqueous solution, from an aqueous HBr rich stream and, optionally, a feed brine dilute in CaCI2. Such processes can comprise feeding the aqueous HBr-rich stream and the feed brine to a tower, oxidizing bromide moieties within the tower with Cl2 to produce Br2, recovering Br2 from the tower, removing a bromide-depleted bottoms from the tower, such bottoms containing HCI, adding a Ca++ source to the bromide-depleted bottoms to convert substantially all of the HCI in the bottoms to CaCI2, and, as necessary, removing water from the treated bottoms to produce the concentrated aqueous solution.

Abstract: Processes are provided for conjointly producing Br2, a concentrated aqueous solution containing CaCI2, and Cl2 from an aqueous HBr-rich stream and a feed brine dilute in CaCI2 that comprises NaCI. Such processes can comprise feeding the aqueous HBr-rich stream and the feed brine to a tower, oxidizing bromide moieties within the tower with Cl2 from a Cl2 source, at least a portion of which is produced according to this invention, to produce Br2, recovering Br2 from the tower, removing a bromide-depleted bottoms from the tower, such bottoms containing HCI, adding a Ca++ source to the bromide-depleted bottoms to convert substantially all of the HCI in the bottoms to CaCI2, as necessary, removing water from the treated bottoms to produce the concentrated aqueous solution, producing Cl2 and caustics from residual chlorides such as NaCI, and using at least a portion of the thus produced Cl2 in the Cl2 source.

Abstract: Processes are provided for conjointly producing Br2 and a concentrated aqueous solution containing at least about 5 wt % CaCI2, based on the weight of the concentrated aqueous solution, from an HBr-rich recycle stream and a feed brine dilute in CaCI2. wherein the aqueous HBr-rich stream is produced from an HBr-rich recycle stream and a portion of the feed brine.

Abstract: Processes are provided for conjointly producing Br2 and a concentrated aqueous solution containing at least about 5 wt % CaCl2, based on the weight of the concentrated aqueous solution, from an HBr-rich recycle stream and a feed brine dilute in CaCl2. wherein the aqueous HBr-rich stream is produced from an HBr-rich recycle stream and a portion of the feed brine.

Abstract: Processes are provided for conjointly producing Br2, a concentrated aqueous solution containing CaCI2, and Cl2 from an aqueous HBr-rich stream and a feed brine dilute in CaCI2 that comprises NaCI. Such processes can comprise feeding the aqueous HBr-rich stream and the feed brine to a tower, oxidizing bromide moieties within the tower with Cl2 from a Cl2 source, at least a portion of which is produced according to this invention, to produce Br2, recovering Br2 from the tower, removing a bromide-depleted bottoms from the tower, such bottoms containing HCI, adding a Ca++ source to the bromide-depleted bottoms to convert substantially all of the HCI in the bottoms to CaCI2, as necessary, removing water from the treated bottoms to produce the concentrated aqueous solution, producing Cl2 and caustics from residual chlorides such as NaCI, and using at least a portion of the thus produced Cl2 in the Cl2 source.

Abstract: Methods are provided for regenerating catalyst compositions useful in processes for converting methane to useful hydrocarbons. The methods comprise applying voltage across the catalyst compositions.

Abstract: Processes are provided for conjointly producing Br2 and a concentrated aqueous solution containing at least about 5 wt % CaCI2, based on the weight of the concentrated aqueous solution, from an aqueous HBr rich stream and, optionally, a feed brine dilute in CaCI2. Such processes can comprise feeding the aqueous HBr-rich stream and the feed brine to a tower, oxidizing bromide moieties within the tower with Cl2 to produce Br2, recovering Br2 from the tower, removing a bromide-depleted bottoms from the tower, such bottoms containing HCI, adding a Ca++ source to the bromide-depleted bottoms to convert substantially all of the HCI in the bottoms to CaCI2, and, as necessary, removing water from the treated bottoms to produce the concentrated aqueous solution.

Abstract: Processes for producing C2+ hydrocarbons are provided. Such processes use Br2, HBr, and/or heat that are produced by such processes, thus providing commercially efficient processes. The process can comprise (a) producing HBr and methyl bromide using a bromine source and a gas stream comprising methane; (b) heating the methyl bromide in the presence of a catalyst to produce additional HBr and C2+ hydrocarbons; (c) combining at least some of the HBr and an oxygen source in the presence of a cerium-containing compound at least about 315° C. to produce Br2; and (d) using at least some of the produced Br2 from (c) as at least a portion of the bromine source in (a). Additionally, the additional HBr from (b) can be used in (c) and/or heat can be recovered from (c) and used to provide at least some of the heating in (a), (b), or both.

Abstract: Processes are provided for catalytic oxidation of bromide to bromine by use of oxygen at temperatures of at least about 315° C. in the presence of a cerium-containing compound, such as a cerium bromide catalyst, wherein the produced stream comprising Br2 and H2O is directly cooled with water. The bromide and the oxygen may be heated directly with steam.

Abstract: Methods are provided for converting methane to useful hydrocarbons. In the methods provided, a fluid comprising methane and hydrogen is combined with a catalyst composition derived from at least an aluminum compound, such as an aluminum halide, an aluminum alkyl, or a aluminum hydrate, and a second component such as a transition metal halide, a transition metal hydride, or a zero-valent metal, to produce heavier hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A process for oxygen-initiated hydrobromination of propene to form a crude reaction mixture of 95 GC area % n-propyl bromide. The process includes feeding an oxygen-containing gas, propene and hydrogen bromide into a liquid phase mixture comprised of n-propyl bromide and hydrogen bromide. At least the oxygen-containing gas and the propene of the feed are fed subsurface to the liquid phase mixture and either (a) the oxygen-containing gas and the propene do not come together in the absence of hydrogen bromide or (b) the oxygen-containing gas and the propene come together only in a propene:oxygen molar ratio in the range of 145:1 to 180:1. Purification processes provide a propyl bromide product containing at least 99.7 GC area % n-propyl bromide. Also provided is a novel composition of enhanced thermal stability which comprises a mixture of n-propyl bromide and isopropyl bromide. The mixture has an n-propyl bromide content of at least 99.7 GC area %, and an isopropyl bromide content of no more than 0.