Patents by Inventor Zhenhua Zhou

Zhenhua Zhou has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Process for producing ethanol using a stacked bed reactor
    Patent number: 8704008
    Abstract: The present invention produces ethanol in a stacked bed reactor that comprises a first catalyst comprising platinum and tin and a second catalyst comprising copper or an oxide thereof. The crude ethanol product may be separated and ethanol recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Heiko Weiner, Zhenhua Zhou, Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston
  • Process for production of ethanol using a mixed feed using copper containing catalyst
    Patent number: 8664454
    Abstract: The present invention produces ethanol in a reactor that comprises a catalyst comprising from 40 to 70 wt. % copper and 15 to 40 wt. % zinc and a support material. The crude ethanol product may be separated and ethanol recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Heiko Weiner, Zhenhua Zhou, Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston
  • Hydrogenation catalysts prepared from polyoxometalate precursors and process for using same to produce ethanol while minimizing diethyl ether formation
    Patent number: 8658843
    Abstract: The present invention relates to hydrogenation catalysts prepared from polyoxometalate precursors. The polyoxometalate precursors introduce a support modifier to the catalyst. The catalysts are used for hydrogenating alkanoic acids and/or esters thereof to alcohols with relatively low ether formation, preferably with conversion of the ester coproduct. The catalyst may also comprise one or more active metals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Heiko Weiner, Zhenhua Zhou
  • Silica Enhanced Support for Hydrogenation Catalysts and Processes for Producing Ethanol
    Publication number: 20140051894
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a catalyst. The catalyst is used for converting acetic acid to ethanol. The catalyst comprises one or more active metals on an alkali metal silicate support or on an alkaline earth metal silicate support, wherein the support further comprises a silica enhancer and a support modifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Heiko Weiner, Radmila Wollrab, Zhenhua Zhou
  • Process for producing ethanol over catalysts containing platinum and palladium
    Patent number: 8637714
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing product comprising ethanol which comprises contacting a feedstock comprising acetic acid and hydrogen in a reaction zone at hydrogenation conditions with a catalyst composition comprising platinum, palladium and tin on a support, wherein the catalyst has an excess amount of platinum relative to the amount of palladium based on weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Zhenhua Zhou, Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston, Heiko Weiner
  • Catalysts comprising secondary noble metals and process for producing ethanol
    Patent number: 8637715
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a catalyst comprising platinum, tin and a secondary noble metal selected from the group consisting of rhodium, palladium, gold and iridium. The catalyst may be on a support. In some embodiments, the support may comprise calcium. The catalyst is used for converting acetic acid to ethanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Zhenhua Zhou, Victor Johnston, Heiko Weiner, Radmila Wollrab
  • Catalysts having promoter metals and process for producing ethanol
    Patent number: 8575406
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a catalyst. The catalyst is used for converting acetic acid to ethanol. The catalyst comprises platinum, tin, a base metal selected from calcium and/or tungsten and a promoter metal selected from barium, potassium and/or cesium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Zhenhua Zhou, Victor Johnston, Heiko Weiner, Radmila Wollrab
  • Process for Producing Ethanol by Hydrocarbon Oxidation and Hydrogenation or Hydration
    Publication number: 20130261347
    Abstract: Hydrocarbons are oxidized to ethylene and/or oxygenates that comprise acetic acid. The acetic acid may be converted to ethanol by hydrogenation. The ethylene may be converted to ethanol by hydration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Scates, Heiko Weiner, Zhenhua Zhou, James Zink
  • Hydrogenation Catalysts and Processes for Making Same
    Publication number: 20130261349
    Abstract: A catalyst composition comprising tin and optionally a second metal for use in the production of alcohols such as ethanol from carboxylic acids such as acetic acid. An acidic solution such as nitric acid is utilized in the preparation of the catalyst according to one embodiment of the present invention to better solubilize an organometallic tin precursor resulting in the formation of catalysts having particularly high selectivity to ethanol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Heiko Weiner, Zhenhua Zhou
  • Process for Producing Ethanol by Alkane Oxidation and Hydrogenation or Hydration
    Publication number: 20130261348
    Abstract: Ethane is oxidized to ethylene and/or oxygenates that comprise acetic acid. The acetic acid may be converted to ethanol by hydrogenation. The ethylene may be converted to ethanol by hydration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Scates, Heiko Weiner, Zhenhua Zhou, James Zink
  • Ethanol Manufacturing Process Over Catalyst Having Improved Radial Crush Strength
    Publication number: 20130245333
    Abstract: Acetic acid is hydrogenation in the presence of a catalyst comprising one or more active metals on a silica support, wherein the catalyst has a radial crush strength of at least 4 N/mm. The one or more active metals may include cobalt, copper, gold, iron, nickel, palladium, platinum, iridium, osmium, rhenium, rhodium, ruthenium, tin, zinc, lanthanum, cerium, manganese, chromium, vanadium, molybdenum and mixtures thereof. Radial crush strength may be improved by steam treating the catalyst support prior to the loading of the one or more active metals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Zhenhua Zhou, Emily Duff, Dheeraj Kumar, Heiko Weiner
  • Stacked Bed Reactor with Diluents for Producing Ethanol
    Publication number: 20130245334
    Abstract: The present invention relates to processes for producing ethanol using a stacked bed reactor comprising a first bed comprising a first hydrogenation catalyst and a second bed comprising a second hydrogenation catalyst and one or more diluents. The diluents may be selected from the group consisting of silica, silica-alumina and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Heiko Weiner, Zhenhua Zhou, Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston
  • Promoters for Cobalt-Tin Catalysts for Reducing Alkanoic Acids
    Publication number: 20130245332
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the formation of an alcohol from an alkanoic acid, the steps of the process comprising: contacting a feed stream containing the alkanoic acid and hydrogen at an elevated temperature with a hydrogenating catalyst comprising from 3 to 25 wt. % of active metals comprising tin and cobalt and a metal promoter selected from the group consisting of noble metals or first metal, the first metal selected from the group of barium, cesium and potassium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Heiko Weiner, Zhenhua Zhou, Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston
  • Rhodium/ Tin Catalysts and Processes for Producing Ethanol
    Publication number: 20130245336
    Abstract: The present invention relates to processes for producing ethanol using a catalyst comprising rhodium and tin on a support. The rhodium and tin may be present in a molar ratio of 20:80 to 80:20.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Zhenhua Zhou, Victor J. Johnston, Heiko Weiner
  • Hydrogenation Catalysts Prepared from Polyoxometalate Precursors and Process for Using Same to Produce Ethanol
    Publication number: 20130245338
    Abstract: The present invention relates to hydrogenation catalysts prepared from polyoxometalate precursors. The polyoxometalate precursors introduce a support modifier to the catalyst. The catalysts are used for hydrogenating alkanoic acids and/or esters thereof to alcohols, preferably with conversion of the ester coproduct. The catalyst may also comprise one or more active metals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Heiko Weiner, Zhenhua Zhou
  • Hydrogenation of Mixed Oxygenate Stream to Produce Alcohol
    Publication number: 20130245131
    Abstract: The present invention relates to processes for the recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of a mixed oxygenate stream comprising ethyl acetate and acetaldehyde. The crude ethanol product is separated in at least one distillation column to product ethanol. The mixed oxygenate stream may be obtained from syngas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Zhenhua Zhou, Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston, Heiko Weiner
  • Acetic Acid Hydrogenation over a Group VIII Metal Calcined Catalyst Having a Secondary Promoter
    Publication number: 20130245335
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for hydrogenating feedstock comprising acetic acid in the presence of hydrogen to product comprising ethanol in a reaction zone under hydrogenation conditions over a catalyst composition promoted with cobalt, rhodium, cesium or a combination thereof on a previously calcined composition comprising at least one Group VIII metal and tin on a support material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Zhenhua Zhou, Victor J. Johnston, Heiko Weiner
  • Hydrogenation Catalysts Prepared from Polyoxometalate Precursors and Process for Using Same to Produce Ethanol While Minimizing Diethyl Ether Formation
    Publication number: 20130245337
    Abstract: The present invention relates to hydrogenation catalysts prepared from polyoxometalate precursors. The polyoxometalate precursors introduce a support modifier to the catalyst. The catalysts are used for hydrogenating alkanoic acids and/or esters thereof to alcohols with relatively low ether formation, preferably with conversion of the ester coproduct. The catalyst may also comprise one or more active metals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Heiko Weiner, Zhenhua Zhou
  • Recovering ethanol sidedraw by separating crude product from hydrogenation process
    Patent number: 8536384
    Abstract: A process for producing ethanol is disclosed, comprising the steps of hydrogenating acetic acid in a reactor in the presence of a catalyst to form a crude ethanol product, separating at least a portion of the crude ethanol product in a column into a first distillate comprising ethanol and a first residue comprising acetic acid and water, wherein a substantial portion of the water in the crude ethanol product that is fed to the column is removed in the first residue, and separating a portion of the ethanol mixture stream to the second distillation column to yield an ethanol product sidedraw, second residue comprising water and a second distillate comprising ethyl acetate. The water content of the ethanol product sidedraw may be further reduced to yield a stream having reduced water content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Victor J. Johnston, Radmila Jevtic, David Lee, Adam Orosco, R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner, Zhenhua Zhou, Emily Duff
  • Rhodium/tin catalysts and processes for producing ethanol
    Patent number: 8536383
    Abstract: The present invention relates to processes for producing ethanol using a catalyst comprising rhodium and tin on a support. The rhodium and tin may be present in a molar ratio of 20:80 to 80:20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Zhenhua Zhou, Victor J. Johnston, Heiko Weiner