Additional Heavy Metal Containing Material Utilized (e.g., Promoter Which Contains Heavy Metal Utilized, Etc.) Patents (Class 549/536)
  • Patent number: 5908942
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the selective epoxidation of olefins, including diolefins, having more than 2 carbon atoms by the catalytic oxidation of such an olefin in the presence of a supported, fluorine-promoted, silver catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: George Leslie Oltean, John Robert Monnier
  • Patent number: 5905161
    Abstract: Process for regenerating a silver catalyst deactivated by coking during the gas phase epoxidation of 1,3-butadiene by reacting the coked catalyst with a gas mixture containing at least 5% by volume of water vapor and up to 95% by volume of oxygen at temperatures of from 100 to 500 .degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stefan Boeck, Klaus Herzog, Rolf Fischer, Herbert Vogel, Martin Fischer
  • Patent number: 5864047
    Abstract: Direct oxidation of propylene to propylene oxide is accomplished using alkaline earth metal compound-supported silver catalysts containing a rhenium promoter and a potassium promoter derived from a potassium salt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Arco Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventor: Anne M. Gaffney
  • Patent number: 5861519
    Abstract: Direct oxidation of propylene to propylene oxide is accomplished using alkaline earth metal compound-supported silver catalysts containing tungsten and potassium promoters. In one embodiment of the invention, the tungsten promoter and the potassium promoter are simultaneously introduced through the use of potassium tungstate. Catalysts of this type exhibit unusually high propylene oxide productivity when carbon dioxide is present in the feedstream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Arco Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventors: Andrew P. Kahn, Anne M. Gaffney
  • Patent number: 5856534
    Abstract: The catalytic performance of a supported silver catalyst in a propylene epoxidation process is improved by first contacting the catalyst at an elevated temperature with a treatment stream comprised of carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide-treated catalyst is thereafter contacted with a feedstream containing propylene, molecular oxygen, but essentially no carbon dioxide under conditions effective to form propylene oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: Arco Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventors: Bernard Cooker, Anne M. Gaffney, Jennifer D. Jewson, Andrew P Kahn
  • Patent number: 5801259
    Abstract: This invention relates to an ethylene oxide catalyst which contains silver and one or more alkali metal promoters supported on a carrier prepared by a process comprising the use of ceramic particle components with particle sizes chosen to ensure that a desired degree of porosity is obtained without the use of organic burnout materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Ruth Mary Kowaleski
  • Patent number: 5780657
    Abstract: Direct oxidation of propylene to propylene oxide is accomplished using alkaline earth metal compound-supported silver catalysts containing an inorganic chloride promoter and a potassium promoter derived from a potassium salt containing a nitrogen oxyanion or precursor thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Arco Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventors: Bernard Cooker, Anne M. Gaffney, Jennifer D. Jewson, Wilson H. Onimus
  • Patent number: 5770746
    Abstract: A propylene epoxidation process wherein a supported silver catalyst is utilized may be operated at high efficiency even in the absence of any organic chloride in the feedstream, provided the catalyst is first contacted at an elevated temperature with a treatment stream comprised of an organic chloride and molecular oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Arco Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventors: Bernard Cooker, Anne M. Gaffney, Jennifer D. Jewson, Andrew P. Kahn, Rangasamy Pitchai
  • Patent number: 5763630
    Abstract: Propylene is oxidized to propylene oxide in the vapor phase using an oxygen-containing gas and a supported silver catalyst comprising silver and a support comprised in whole or in substantial part of certain alkaline earth metal compounds. The alkaline earth metal compound may, for example, be a calcium compound such as calcium titanate, tribasic calcium phosphate, calcium molybdate, or calcium fluoride, a magnesium compound such as magnesium aluminate, or a strontium compound such as strontium titanate. Such supports provide significantly higher selectivity to the desired epoxide than would be expected from the performance of related materials. Propylene oxide selectivity may be further enhanced through the introduction of nitrogen oxide species such as NO, alkyl halides such as ethyl chloride, and carbon dioxide into the oxygen-containing gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: ARCO Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventors: Andrew P. Kahn, Anne M. Gaffney, Rangasamy Pitchai
  • Patent number: 5736483
    Abstract: A rhenium free silver catalyst for ethylene oxidation to ethylene oxide is provided containing a promoter combination consisting of an alkali metal component a niobium or tantalum component, and a sulfur component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Scientific Design Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Nabil Rizkalla
  • Patent number: 5734068
    Abstract: The invention relates to a silver catalyst for the partial oxidation of ethylene with molecular oxygen in the gas phase to form ethylene oxide and a process for preparing ethylene oxide using this catalyst. The catalyst is superior to comparable catalysts of the prior art through an increased selectivity (at high activity) and/or a more favorable ageing behavior. The process for preparing ethylene oxide is distinguished by improved economics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Huels Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Burkhard Klopries, Harald Metz, Wilma Dibowski, Dietmar Kyewski, Jurgen Pospiech
  • Patent number: 5705661
    Abstract: A catalyst for oxidizing ethylene and producing ethylene oxide, said catalyst being prepared by pretreating a porous carrier with a solution containing a lithium compound and a cesium compound, thereafter, impregnating a solution containing a silver compound and a cesium compound in the pretreated porous carrier and then heat-treating the impregnated porous carrier.The use of the catalyst of this invention provides high selectivity in the production of ethylene oxide by the vapor contact oxidation of ethylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoatsu Iwakura, Takako Imamoto, Katsumi Nakashiro
  • Patent number: 5703253
    Abstract: This invention relates to ethylene oxide catalyst for the vapor phase production of ethylene oxide from ethylene and oxygen prepared by impregnating a porous, refractory support having a surface area ranging from about 0.05 to about 10 m.sup.2 /g with a solubilized catalytically effective amount of silver, a solubilized promoting amount of alkali metal, a solubilized promoting amount of rhenium, and a solubilized promoting amount of hafnium metal, wherein the Group IVB metal is provided in the form of Group IVB oxycation-containing salts. The catalyst provide substantial initial activity improvement as well as long term selectivity and activity stability improvement over prior art rhenium promoted catalyst, without any loss of initial selectivity advantage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Wayne E. Evans, Carolus Matthias Anna Maria Mesters
  • Patent number: 5703254
    Abstract: Propylene is oxidized to propylene oxide in the vapor phase using oxygen and a supported catalyst comprising silver, gold, a potassium promoter such as potassium nitrate or potassium carbonate and a support comprised in whole or in substantial part of an alkaline earth metal carbonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Arco Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventors: Anne M. Gaffney, Andrew P. Kahn, Rangasamy Pitchai
  • Patent number: 5686380
    Abstract: Propylene is converted to propylene oxide in a vapor phase oxidation process employing a silver catalyst supported on an alkaline earth metal carbonate and containing both a potassium salt such as potassium nitrate and a molybdenum promoter. The potassium salt and the molybdenum promoter may be simultaneously supplied by the use of a potassium salt of a molybdenum oxyanion. The efficiency of the process is greatly enhanced through the simultaneous inclusion of carbon dioxide and an organic halide in the feedstream. The feedstream need not contain a nitrogen oxide species such as NO to attain high propylene oxide selectivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: ARCO Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventors: Rangasamy Pitchai, Andrew P. Kahn, Anne M. Gaffney
  • Patent number: 5663385
    Abstract: This invention relates to an ethylene oxide catalyst having improved initial selectivity which catalyst comprises silver, a promoting amount of alkali metal, a promoting amount of rhenium and a promoting amount of rhenium-co-promoter selected from phosphorus, boron and mixtures thereof, supported on a porous refractory support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Richard Alan Kemp
  • Patent number: 5625084
    Abstract: Propylene is converted to propylene oxide in a vapor phase oxidation process employing a silver catalyst supported on an alkaline earth metal carbonate and containing both a potassium salt such as potassium nitrate and a molybdenum promoter. The potassium salt and the molybdenum promoter may be simultaneously supplied by the use of a potassium salt of a molybdenum oxyanion. The efficiency of the process is greatly enhanced through the simultaneous inclusion of carbon dioxide and an organic halide in the feedstream. The feedstream need not contain a nitrogen oxide species such as NO to attain high propylene oxide selectivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1997
    Assignee: ARCO Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventors: Rangasamy Pitchai, Andrew P. Kahn, Anne M. Gaffney
  • Patent number: 5618954
    Abstract: 3,4-Epoxy-1-butene is prepared by the gas phase epoxidation of 1,3-butadiene by means of oxygen or oxygen-containing gases over silver-containing catalysts and isolation of the 3,4-epoxy-1-butene from the reaction exit mixture by performing the gas phase epoxidation in the presence of from 6 to 80 mol % of water vapor, based on the gas mixture supplied to the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stefan Boeck, Klaus Herzog, Rolf Fischer, Herbert Vogel, Martin Fischer
  • Patent number: 5525741
    Abstract: A process for producing an olefin oxide comprising oxidizing a corresponding lower olefin with molecular oxygen in the gas phase in the presence of a crystalline metallosilicate having supported thereon at least one salt selected from the group consisting of alkali metal salts of nitric acid, alkaline earth metal salts of nitric acid, silver salts of nitric acid and silver salts of nitrous acid. Said process can produce an olefin oxide at a high selectivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited
    Inventors: Keisuke Sugita, Toshikazu Yagi
  • Patent number: 5504053
    Abstract: Catalysts for the production of alkylene oxide by the epoxidation of alkene with oxygen comprise a silver impregnated support containing a sufficient amount of manganese component to enhance at least one of activity and/or efficiency and/or stability as compared to a similar catalyst which does not contain manganese component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1996
    Assignee: Union Carbide Chemicals & Plastics Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Pen-Yuan Chou, Madan M. Bhasin, Hwaili Soo, Erlind M. Thorsteinson
  • Patent number: 5502020
    Abstract: A catalyst for the production of ethylene oxide which contains silver, tungsten, cesium and, in some cases, an alkaline metal other than cesium, an alkaline-earth metal, a rare-earth metal, and/or metal selected from Groups I B, II B, III B, IV A, IV B, V A, V B and VI A of the Periodic Table and tellurium. The use of the catalyst of this invention provides high selectivity in the production of ethylene oxide by the vapor contact oxidation of ethylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Petrochemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoatsu Iwakura, Yukako Kawakatsu
  • Patent number: 5486628
    Abstract: This invention relates to an ethylene oxide catalyst having improved selectivity stability which catalyst comprises silver, a promoting amount of alkali metal, a promoting amount of rare earth, a promoting amount of rhenium and, optionally, a promoting amount of rhenium co-promoter selected from sulfur, molybdenum, tungsten, chromium and mixtures thereof, supported on a porous refractory support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Inventor: Richard A. Kemp
  • Patent number: 5428180
    Abstract: A method is provided for oxidizing alkenes to epoxides by treating the alkene with a transition metal ion complex which includes a salen or salophen derivative and peroxymonosulfate ion or hypochlorite ion in a two phase system with a phase transfer catalyst, a water phase having a pH from about 6 to about 12.9 and an inorganic solvent phase in which the complex is sufficiently soluble.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: The Research Foundation of State University of New York
    Inventors: Cynthia Burrows, Thomas R. Wagler, Heungsik Yoon
  • Patent number: 5418202
    Abstract: This invention relates to ethylene oxide catalyst for the vapor phase production of ethylene oxide from ethylene and oxygen prepared by impregnating a porous, refractory support having a surface area ranging from about 0.05 to about 10 m.sup.2 /g with a solubilized catalytically effective amount of silver, a solubilized promoting amount of alkali metal, a solubilized promoting amount of rhenium, and a solubilized promoting amount of hafnium metal, wherein the Group IVB metal is provided in the form of Group IVB oxo salts. The catalyst provide substantial initial activity improvement as well as long term selectivity and activity stability improvement over prior art rhenium promoted catalyst, without any loss of initial selectivity advantage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Wayne E. Evans, Carolus M. A. M. Mesters
  • Patent number: 5387751
    Abstract: Olefine oxides are produced by contacting an olefine with oxygen in the presence of a silver containing catalyst and a chlorine-containing reaction modifier; the performance of the catalyst is improved by contacting it with a nitrate or nitrite forming substance for example nitric oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: Imperial Chemical Industries PLC
    Inventors: Percy Hayden, Richard W. Clayton, John R. Ramforth, Alan F. G. Cope
  • Patent number: 5380885
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the preparation of an ethylene oxide catalyst having improved selectivity stability which catalyst comprises depositing silver, a promoting amount of alkali metal, a promoting amount of rhenium and, optionally, a promoting amount of rhenium co-promoter selected from sulfur, molybdenum, tungsten, chromium and mixtures thereof, on a porous refractory support, at least partially drying the support, and thereafter depositing a promoting amount of nickel on the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Richard A. Kemp
  • Patent number: 5364826
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the preparation of an ethylene oxide catalyst having improved selectivity stability which catalyst comprises depositing silver, a promoting amount of alkali metal, a promoting amount of rhenium and, optionally, a promoting amount of rhenium co-promoter selected from sulfur, molybdenum, tungsten, chromium and mixtures thereof, on a porous refractory support, at least partially drying the support, and thereafter depositing a promoting amount of nickel on the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Richard A. Kemp
  • Patent number: 5362890
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an improved gas phase process for the selective epoxidation of non-allylic olefins wherein the epoxidation is carried out in the presence of certain inert, paraffin hydrocarbons. Such hydrocarbons possess higher heat capacities as compared to other materials, e.g., nitrogen, argon, methane and helium, typically used as inert diluents in olefin epoxidations. The disclosed process is particularly useful for the continuous manufacture of 3,4-epoxy-1-butene from 1,3-butadiene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Jerome L. Stavinoha, Jr., John R. Monnier, David M. Hitch, Timothy R. Nolen, George L. Oltean
  • Patent number: 5331084
    Abstract: Fluorine-substituted epoxides of the formula ##STR1## in which the substituents R.sub.1 to R.sub.4, independently of one another, have the following meanings:R.sub.1 to R.sub.4 =H, fluorine, C.sub.1 - to C.sub.18 -alkyl in which some or all of the hydrogens may be substituted by fluorine, and at least one of the substituents R.sub.1 to R.sub.4 is a completely fluorinated alkyl or an alkyl of the formula--(CH.sub.2).sub.m --(C.sub.n F.sub.2n+1),in which m is 1 or 2, and n is an integer from 1 to 17, and x is 0 or 1.Furthermore, a method for the preparation of fluorine-substituted epoxides is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jurgen Kulpe, Heinz Strutz
  • Patent number: 5177225
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the production of an alkylene oxide in which an alkene, and an oxygen containing gas are reacted in the presence of a flame suppressor under conditions of low alkene conversion and high alkylene oxide selectivity in which unreacted alkene is recycled to the reactor and there is efficient removal of nitrogen and carbon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramakrishnan Ramachandran, Donald L. MacLean
  • Patent number: 5145968
    Abstract: Process is disclosed for the slective monoepoxidation of styrene, styrene analogs, and styrene derivatives. Such compounds are contacted with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a promoted, optionally supported silver catalyst under defined reaction conditions, thereby selectively producing opoxides in good yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John R. Monnier, Peter J. Muehlbauer
  • Patent number: 5145824
    Abstract: The invention relates to ethylene oxide catalysts containing silver, alkali metal promoters, rhenium promoters and optionally rhenium co-promoters selected from sulfur, molybdenum, tungsten, chromium and mixtures thereof supported on a carrier consisting of at least 85 percent by weight of alpha alumina, from about 0.01 to about 6 percent by weight (measured as the oxide) of an added alkaline earth metal in the form of an oxide, from about 0.01 to about 5 percent by weight (measured as the dioxide) of added silicon in the form of an oxide and from zero to about 10 percent by weight (measured as the dioxide) of added zirconium in the form of an oxide. The invention also relates to an ethylene oxide process using the above catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: John E. Buffum, Ruth M. Kowaleski, William H. Gerdes
  • Patent number: 5138077
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the selective epoxidation of olefins, including diolefins, having more than 2 carbon atoms by the catalytic oxidation of such an olefin in the presence of a supported, thallium-promoted, silver catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1992
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John R. Monnier, Peter J. Muehlbauer
  • Patent number: 5099041
    Abstract: Catalysts of attractive activities for use in the oxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide comprise silver supported on a porous heat resisting support, a group VI A transition metal, potassium, rubidium and/or cesium and sulphur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Assignee: Imperial Chemical Industries PLC
    Inventors: Percy Hayden, Harry Pinnegar
  • Patent number: 5057481
    Abstract: This invention relates to the catalysts for the manufacture of ethylene oxide at commercial concentrations in the presence of carbon dioxide gas recycle which contains impregnated silver on a support and a mixture of cesium salts, at least one of which is a cesium salt in which the anions thereof are oxyanions of elements having an atomic number of 21 to 75 and being from groups 3b through 7b, inclusive, of the Periodic Table of the Elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1991
    Assignee: Union Carbide Chemicals and Plastics Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Madan M. Bhasin
  • Patent number: 5051395
    Abstract: Catalysts for the production of alkylene oxide by the epoxidation of alkene with oxygen comprise a silver impregnated support containing a sufficient amount of scandium component to enhance at least one of activity and/or efficiency as compared to a similar catalyst which does not contain scandium component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1991
    Assignee: Union Carbide Chemicals and Plastics Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Scott F. Mitchell, David M. A. Minahan, Madan M. Bhasin
  • Patent number: 5043461
    Abstract: An improved process for the production of oxides from hydrocarbons by reaction with oxygen, air or a gas enriched in oxygen relative to air, preferably the latter, in the presence of a suitable catalyst. An alkane, e.g. propane, is converted to an alkene in a catalytic dehydrogenator. The product stream is introduced into an oxidation reactor. Product formed therein is recovered in a conventional quench tower. The pressure of the gaseous effluent from the quench tower is raised and it is introduced into an absorber/stripper unit to form a recycle stream containing unreacted alkane and alkene as well as a minor amount of oxygen, typically 1-2 percent by volume, and a waste stream comprising the remainder of the quench tower gaseous phase. The recycle stream enters a selective oxidation unit wherein oxygen is removed, and the product recycled to the dehydrogenator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1991
    Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramakrishnan Ramachandran, Mark J. Andrecovich, Donald L. MacLean, Donald P. Satchell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5011807
    Abstract: Catalysts of attractive activities for use in the oxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide comprise silver supported on a porous heat resisting support, a group VI A transition metal, potassium, rubidium and/or cesium and sulphur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Assignee: Imperial Chemical Industries plc
    Inventors: Percy Hayden, Harry Pinnegar
  • Patent number: 5008412
    Abstract: An improved process is provided for the production of oxides from alkanes by reaction with oxygen, air or a gas enriched in oxygen relative to an air in the presence of an oxidation catalyst. An alkane, e.g. propane, is converted to an alkene in a multistage dehydrogenator. The product stream is withdrawn from an intermediate reactor in the dehydrogenator, other than the first and the last reactor, and introduced into an oxidation reactor. The product formed in the oxidation reactor is recovered in a conventional quench tower. The gaseous effluent from the quench tower is treated in a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit to form a gaseous stream containing the unreacted alkane and alkene as well as a minor amount, i.e. less than about 2 percent by volume, of oxygen and nitrogen, if present in the feed to the oxidation reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1991
    Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramakrishnan Ramachandran, Donald L. MacLean, Donald P. Satchell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5008413
    Abstract: An improved silver catalyst for the oxidation of ethylene with molecular oxygen is made by impregnating a support with a silver salt prepared by reacting a silver compound with a neo-acid, in a hydrocarbon solvent with the reaction completed under reflux conditions; drying and activating the resultant precatalyst by heating in air; thereafter impregnating the activated catalyst with an amount, 800 to 5000 wppm of alkali metal, preferably Cs, to deactivate the catalyst to form a catalyst precursor and heating the catalyst precursor at 450.degree.-700.degree. C. for 0.1 to 4.5 hours at a steady state in a substantially inert atmosphere to reactivate it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1991
    Assignee: Scientific Design Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Kintoken H. Liu
  • Patent number: 5008414
    Abstract: An improved process is provided for the production of oxides from hydrocarbons by reaction with oxygen, air or a gas enriched in oxygen relative to air, preferably the latter in the presence of an oxidation catalyst. An alkane, e.g. propane, is converted to an alkene in a catalytic dehydrogenator. The product stream is introduced into an oxidation reactor. The product formed therein is recovered in a conventional quench tower. The gaseous effluent from the quench tower is treated in a separator to produce an adsorbed stream, an oxygen-enriched stream, a waste stream and, if desired, a hydrogen-enriched stream. The oxygen-enriched stream may be recycled to the oxidation reactor depending on the nitrogen content thereof. The adsorbed stream plus at least a portion of the hydrogen-enriched stream is introduced into a selective oxidation unit to remove the remaining oxygen and then recycled to the dehydrogenator. The remainder of the hydrogen-enriched stream, if any, may be taken as product or vented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1991
    Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramakrishnan Ramachandran, Donald L. MacLean, Donald P. Satchell, Jr., Virginia A. Malik
  • Patent number: 4990632
    Abstract: An improved process is provided for the production of oxides from hydrocarbons by reaction with oxygen, air or a gas enriched in oxygen relative to air, preferably the latter, in the presence of an oxidation catalyst. An alkane, e.g. propane, is converted to an alkene in a dehydrogenator. The product stream is introduced into an oxidation reactor. The product formed therein is recovered in a quench tower. The gas phase from the quench tower is treated in a PSA unit to form a gaseous stream containing the unreacted alkane, alkene, a minor amount of oxygen, i.e. less than about 2 percent by volume, and nitrogen if present in the feed to the oxidation reactor. The gaseous stream, which may or may not contain hydrogen depending on the adsorbent on the PSA unit, is introduced into a selective oxidation unit to remove the remaining oxygen and then recycled to the dehydrogenator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1991
    Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramakrishnan Ramachandran, Donald L. Maclean, Donald P. Satchell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4950773
    Abstract: Process is disclosed for the selective epoxidation of olefins having no allylic hydrogens. Such olefins are contacted with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a silver catalyst and an organic halide under defined reaction conditions, thereby selectively producing epoxides in good yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John R. Monnier, Peter J. Muehlbauer
  • Patent number: 4908343
    Abstract: This invention relates to catalysts for the manufacture of ethylene oxide, especially at commercial concentrations in the presence of carbon dioxide gas recycle, which contains impregnated silver on a support and a mixture of cesium salt and one or more alkali metal and alkaline earth metal salts in which the anions thereof are halide or oxyanions of elements other than the oxygen therein having an atomic number of 7 or 15 to 83 and being from groups 3b through 7b, inclusive, and 3a through 7a, inclusive, of the Periodic Table of the Elements, at least a portion of said oxyanions are oxyanions of group 3b to 7b elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1990
    Assignee: Union Carbide Chemicals and Plastics Company Inc.
    Inventor: Madan M. Bhasin
  • Patent number: 4897498
    Abstract: Process is disclosed for the selective mono epoxidation of olefins having no allylic hydrogens. Such olefins are contacted with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a silver catalyst under defined reaction conditions, thereby selectively producing monoepoxides in good yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John R. Monnier, Peter J. Muehlbauer
  • Patent number: 4874879
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for starting up a fixed bed ethylene oxide reactor containing a catalyst comprising silver, alkali metal promoter and rhenium co-promoters supported on an alumina carrier which process comprises heating the reactor to slightly below normal operating conditions, passing an ethylene containing gas over the catalyst at a flow rate of about 20% of design, adding a chlorohydrocarbon moderator to the gas passing over the catalyst and after approximately 1 cubic centimeters of moderator (basis liquid) per cubic foot of catalyst has been added, then adding oxygen to the gas passing over the catalyst to initiate the ethylene oxidation reaction and subsequently raising the reactor temperature and gas flow rates to operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1989
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Ann M. Lauritzen, David S. Baker, Margot H. Christiansen, Beamon M. Johnson, John G. Schuren
  • Patent number: 4847393
    Abstract: In a process of producing ethylene oxide by contacting ethylene and oxygen with a main body of a solid catalyst in a reaction zone and passing product from that zone through a substantial volume to a cooler, acetaldehyde is produced by isomerization of ethylene oxide in the volume. The acetaldehyde content of the gases entering the cooler is reduced in this invention by passing them through a second, smaller bed of catalyst before the gases are passed to the cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1989
    Assignee: Imperial Chemical Industries PLC
    Inventor: Philip Langley
  • Patent number: 4845253
    Abstract: A process of oxidizing an olefin having at least three carbon atoms directly to the corresponding epoxide comprising contacting the olefin with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst comprising a mixed silver-promoter metal (+2 or +3) silicate. In the direct oxidation of propylene the process yields a high selectivity to propylene oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1989
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventor: Robert G. Bowman
  • Patent number: 4841080
    Abstract: A supported silver catalyst for the oxidation of ethylene with molecular oxygen to ethylene oxide is made by depositing silver on a support capable of selectively adsorbing alkali metals, activating the silver under conditions chosen to provide the optimum selectivity of ethylene oxide and thereafter depositing an amount of an alkali metal sufficient to increase selectivity of the silver catalyst above its alkali-free state. The catalyst most preferably employs a ceramic support having a surface area of 0.3-0.8 m.sup.2 /gm. The amount of alkali metal on the finished catalyst is most preferably 50-300 ppm by weight. The catalyst may also include additional promoters, such as the alkaline earth metals, preferably barium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1989
    Assignee: Scientific Design Company, Inc.
    Inventor: William D. Armstrong
  • Patent number: 4833261
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the production of ethylene oxide by contacting ethylene with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a catalyst comprising silver, a promoter of an alkali metal and a promoter of rhenium supported on a porous refractory support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Ann M. Lauritzen