Dow Technology Investments LLC

Dow Global Technolgoies LLC

Union Carbide Chemicals & Plastics Technology Corporation

Albert C Liu

Hwaili Soo

Michael Habenschuss

Juliana G Serafin

Thomas Szymanski

Liping L Zhang

Paul Victor Hinman

Seyed R Seyedmonir

Madan M Bhasin

Madan Mohan Bhasin

Erlind M Thorsteinson

Manuk Colakyan

David Michael Minahan

William H Henstock

Yujun Liu

Biju M Devassy

Sagar Petkar

Manuel A W Natal

Biju M Divassy

Manuel A Natal

Manuel AW Natal

A supported silver catalyst and use thereof in a process for producing an alkylene oxide, such as ethylene oxide, by the direct oxidation of an alkylene with oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas, wherein the catalyst provides improved stability and improved resilience to reactor upsets and timely recovery to substantially pre-upset levels of catalyst activity and/or efficiency. In some embodiments, the catalyst also exhibits improved activity. A catalyst capable of producing ethylene oxide at a selectivity of at least 87 percent while achieving a work rate of at least 184 kg/h/mat a temperature of no greater than 235&#xb0; C. when operated in a process where the inlet feed to a reactor containing the catalyst comprises ethylene, oxygen, and carbon dioxide, wherein the concentration of carbon dioxide in the inlet feed is greater than or equal to 2 mole percent.

Alkylene oxide catalyst and use thereof

Methods are provided for producing epoxidation catalysts. The present methods are able to produce catalysts having the desired loading levels of catalytic species at a lower vacuum level (having a higher minimum residual pressure) than previously appreciated by the art, thereby providing equipment cost and time savings.

Methods for producing epoxidation catalysts and epoxidation methods utilizing these

A method of producing an alkylene oxide includes passing a reaction mixture comprising alkylene, oxygen and a gaseous chlorine-containing promoter species over a supported catalyst containing silver and a promoting amount of rhenium to undergo an epoxidation reaction at a first operating condition. The method further includes subsequently performing the epoxidation reaction at a preferred operating condition. The preferred operating condition is characterized by an efficiency of the epoxidation reaction toward the alkylene oxide where the efficiency is lower than that of a maximum efficiency achievable at an operating temperature corresponding to the preferred operating condition.

Epoxidation reactions and operating conditions thereof

A plant and process for producing alkylene oxides to control the production of silver chloride on a high efficiency silver catalyst is disclosed and described. The process involves reacting an alkylene and an organic chloride gas phase promoter with oxygen over the high efficiency silver catalyst. The sulfur concentration in the alkylene oxide reactor feed is controlled to reduce the production of silver chloride which acts as a catalyst poison.

Method of controlling the production of silver chloride on a silver catalyst in the production of alkylene oxides

A catalyst for the manufacture of alkylene oxide, for example ethylene oxide, by the vapor-phase epoxidation of alkene containing impregnated silver and at least one efficiency-enhancing promoter on an inert, refractory solid support, said support incorporating a sufficient amount of zirconium component (present and remaining substantially as zirconium silicate) as to enhance at least one of catalyst activity, efficiency and stability as compared to a similar catalyst which does not contain the zirconium component.

Catalysts having enhanced stability, efficiency and/or activity for alkylene oxide production

The present invention provides rhenium-promoted epoxidation catalysts based upon shaped porous bodies comprising a minimized percentage of their total pore volume being present in pores having diameters of less than one micron, and a surface area of at least about 1.0 m/g. Processes of making the catalysts and using them in epoxidation processes are also provided.

Epoxidation processes

Rhenium-promoted epoxidation catalysts and methods of making and using them

An improved method of operating an alkylene oxide production process to achieve and maintain a desired alkylene oxide production parameter is shown and described. The method comprises adjusting one of an overall catalyst chloriding effectiveness parameter or reaction temperature to obtain the desired alkylene oxide production parameter.

Method of achieving and maintaining a specified alkylene oxide production parameter with a high efficiency catalyst

A method for enhancing the efficiency of a rhenium-promoted epoxidation catalyst is provided. Advantageously, the method may be carried out in situ, i.e., within the epoxidation process, and in fact, may be carried out during production of the desired epoxide. As such, a method for the epoxidation of alkylenes incorporating the efficiency-enhancing method is also provided, as is a method for using the alkylene oxides so produced for the production of 1,2-diols, 1,2-carbonates, 1,2-diol ethers, or alkanolamines.

Methods for enhancing the efficiency of rhenium-promoted epoxidation catalysts and epoxidation methods utilizing these

A process for preparing a supported silver catalyst for the production of alkylene oxide by the vapor phase oxidation of alkylene with an oxygen-containing gas is disclosed and comprises contacting a silver-contacting support with a solution comprising a metal-containing promoter other than alkali metals or alkaline earth metals. The solution is chosen so that the metal-containing promoter has an increased affinity to the silver-containing carrier relative to its affinity to the carrier without silver. Alkene epoxidation catalysts and alkene epoxidation processes are also disclosed.

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Charleston, WV, United States of America

Albert C Liu