Sd Lizenzverwertungsgesellschaft Mbh & Co Kg

Christian Gueckel

Andrzej Rokicki

Nabil M Rizkalla

Barry Jay Billig

Mansoor Husain

Howard Sachs

James Mann

Norma Beatriz Castagnola

The invention pertains to a catalyst useful for the epoxidation of an olefin. More particularly, the invention pertains to an improved catalyst useful for the epoxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide. The catalyst has improved selectivity in the epoxidation process. The catalyst comprises a solid support having a surface, which has a first mode of pores which have a diameter ranging from about 0.01 &#x3bc;m to about 5 &#x3bc;m and having a differential pore volume peak in the range of from about 0.01 &#x3bc;m to about 5 &#x3bc;m. The surface then has a second mode of pores, different from the first mode of pores, which second mode of pores have a diameter ranging from about 1 &#x3bc;m to about 20 &#x3bc;m and have a differential pore volume peak in the range of from about 1 &#x3bc;m to about 20 &#x3bc;m. On the bimodal pore surface is a catalytically effective amount of silver or a silver-containing compound, a promoting amount of rhenium or a rhenium-containing compound, and a promoting amount of one or more alkali metals or alkali-metal-containing compounds.

Catalyst with bimodal pore size distribution and the use thereof

A method for controlling ethylene oxidation uses ethylene and oxygen, in conjunction with a silver based catalyst, a moderator and a co-moderator, to form ethylene oxide. When controlling the ethylene oxidation reaction, the moderator concentration is maintained constant within a comparatively narrow operative concentration range and the co-moderator concentration is varied within a comparatively wider operative concentration range, to optimize a catalyst property such as the catalyst activity and/or the catalyst selectivity.

Ethylene oxide production using fixed moderator concentration

A method to achieve a controlled start-up temperature of an expoxidation process which exceeds the maximum achievable temperature of the epoxidation reactor relative to using an external heat source. The method of the present invention employs an oxidation reaction within the reactor to bring the temperature of the reactor to a temperature that is suitable for conditioning a high selectivity catalyst. The method of the present invention includes first bringing a reactor including a high selectivity catalyst to a first temperature using the external heat source to the reactor, while staying within the reactor design limitations and maintaining a gas flow to the reactor that is within 25 to 100% of the design rates. Once the reactor has achieved the first temperature, at least an olefin, e.g., ethylene, and then oxygen are introduced to the reactor feed gas. The olefin and oxygen concentrations are adjusted to have a heat of reaction that will allow raising the reactor gas flow to 100% of design and then have sufficient heat of reaction to raise the reactor temperature to a second temperature which is greater than the first temperature and greater than the temperature of the reactor achievable by the external heat source.

Start-up of high selectivity catalysts in olefin oxide plants

The invention relates to a process for the epoxidation of an olefin, wherein the concentration of the olefin oxide in the outlet is greater than about 2.2% by volume. More particularly, the invention relates to a process for the epoxidation of ethylene by contacting a feed including at least ethylene and oxygen with an improved epoxidation catalyst. The catalyst which has improved selectivity in the epoxidation process at high productivities, includes a solid support having a surface, which has a first mode of pores that have a diameter ranging from about 0.01 &#x3bc;m to about 5 &#x3bc;m and having a differential pore volume peak in the range from about 0.01 &#x3bc;m to about 5 &#x3bc;m. The surface also has a second mode of pores, which is different from the first mode of pores, having a diameter ranging from about 1 &#x3bc;m to about 20 &#x3bc;m and have a differential pore volume peak in the range from about 1 &#x3bc;m to about 20 &#x3bc;m. On the bimodal pore surface is a catalytically effective amount of silver or a silver-containing compound, a promoting amount of rhenium or a rhenium-containing compound, and a promoting amount of one or more alkali metals or alkali-metal-containing compounds.

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Paramus, NJ, United States of America

Christian Gueckel