Scientific Design Company, Inc.

The Halcon Sd Group, Inc.

Halcon Research and Development Corp.

Brian J Ozero

Nand K Kochar

Stanley D Becker

Improved performance is obtained in a multi-tube reactor for oxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide by providing a distribution zone for the coolant located downstream of the catalyst and a contiguous cooling zone. The effluent gases from the oxidation are cooled in the cooling zone by a fluid, which has been only slightly preheated and distributed uniformly in the distribution zone by contact with tubes in which the effluent gases are in low-turbulence flow. Uniform distribution of the coolant provides substantially equal cooling of the effluent gases in each tube, thus minimizing the variation in effluent gas temperature among the tubes. Preferably, the tubes in the cooling section are packed with inert particles to facilitate heat transfer, while the tubes are empty in the distribution section to reduce heat transfer.

Ethylene oxide reactor

The invention relates to an improved process for production of ethylene oxide which minimizes unreacted ethylene losses through the use of semi-permeable membrane units, thereby allowing an effective, selective removal of argon from the process cycle gas, without significant ethylene losses.

Selective extraction of argon from ethylene oxide recycle stream

An improved process is disclosed for producing ethylene oxide; the process utilizing suitable semipermeable membrane units to selectively remove desired amounts of both carbon dioxide and argon diluents from the reaction recycle gas. The utilization of such a process makes possible to utilize a much cheaper low purity oxygen source without concern for feed purge losses.

Selective extraction of CO.sub.2 and argon from ethylene oxide recycle

A process for the coproduction of aniline and diphenylamine from phenol and ammonia is shown. An aniline reaction mixture containing ammonia and phenol is at least partially reacted to form aniline and that reaction mixture is distilled to separate a portion of the product aniline and the unreacted phenol therein. Aniline and phenol are then at least partially reacted to form diphenylamine. Product aniline and diphenylamine are recovered. In the preferred embodiment the aniline formed in the aniline reaction is stripped of ammonia and water and distilled to form purified aniline and a crude bottoms product containing phenol and aniline. The latter stream is combined with the dried effluent from the diphenylamine reactor and, after distillation to separate crude diphenylamine, is recycled to the diphenylamine reactor.

Coproduction of aniline and diphenylamine

A process for the recovery of ethylene oxide containing low levels of aldehydic impurities from an impure aqueous ethylene oxide solution containing the same is provided in which the impure solution is treated in a novel multi-stage, countercurrent distillation zone for improved separation of said aldehydic impurities and recovery of an ethylene oxide-containing product stream having the desired low concentration of aldehydic impurities.

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New York, NY, United States of America

Brian J Ozero