Davy Process Technology Limited

Davy Mckee (london) Limited

Kvaerner Process Technology, Ltd.

Donald H McKinley

George E Harrison

Michael A Wood

John Scarlett

Andrew George Hiles

Alan J Dennis

John Richard Hensman

Rikard Umberto Andersson

Martyn Wilmott

John Wilson Kippax

Richard John Hensman

Richard Joseph Kolodziej

An apparatus for use in heterogeneous catalytic reactions comprising a column reactor comprising a plurality of trays mounted one above another, each adapted to hold a predetermined liquid volume and a charge of particles of a solid catalyst thereon; means for introducing a liquid phase reactant above the uppermost tray; means for introducing a vapor phase reactant below the lowermost tray; means for removing a liquid phase post-reaction stream from below the lowermost tray; means for removing a vapor phase post-reaction stream from above the uppermost tray; vapor upcomer means associated with each tray adapted to allow vapor to enter that tray from below; undertow means associated with each tray adapted to remove liquid from that tray and the column reactor before being introduced into the column reactor at a lower tray; means for temporarily directing said liquid removed from a tray to bypass at least one lower tray and be reintroduced to the column reactor at a tray located below said at least one bypassed tray; means for removing the liquid and catalyst from said at least one bypassed tray: and means for replacing a liquid and catalyst inventory on said at least one bypassed tray.

Apparatus and method for heterogeneous catalytic reactions

A process for the co-production of a stream of a fatty alcohol having first carbon chain lengths and a stream of a fatty alcohol having a second carbon chain lengths, said second carbon chain lengths being longer than said first carbon chain lengths, said process comprising the steps of: (a) supplying a stream comprising lower alkyl esters of fatty acids having chain lengths comprising the first and second chain lengths to a first vaporization zone and contacting said stream with an amount of hydrogen recycled from step (i) which is sufficient to vaporize the lower alkyl esters of the fatty acids having the first carbon chain lengths into the hydrogen; (b) supplying the hydrogen and the vaporized lower alkyl esters of fatty acids having the first carbon chain lengths to a first reaction zone comprising catalyst and operating under reaction conditions to allow hydrogenation to the desired alcohol having first carbon chain lengths; (c) recovering from the first reaction zone an alcohol product stream having first carbon chain lengths and the hydrogen; (d) supplying the unvaporized lower alkyl esters of the fatty acids having second carbon chain lengths remaining from step (a) to a second vaporization zone; (e) contacting the unvaporized lower alkyl esters having second carbon chain lengths in the second vaporization zone with an amount of hydrogen sufficient to vaporize the lower alkyl esters having fatty acids of the second carbon chain lengths into the hydrogen; (f) supplying the hydrogen and the vaporized lower alkyl esters of fatty acids having second carbon chain lengths to a second reaction zone comprising catalyst and operating under reaction conditions to allow hydrogenation to the desired alcohol having second carbon chain lengths; (g) recovering from the second reaction zone an alcohol product stream having second carbon chain lengths and hydrogen; (h) separating the stream of fatty acid alcohol having the second carbon chain length from hydrogen; and (i) recycling a portion of the hydrogen recovered in step (h) to the first vaporization zone and a portion to the second vaporization zone.

Process for the co-production of a stream of a fatty alcohol having a first carbon chain length and a stream of a fatty alcohol having a second carbon length

A process for the co-production of a stream of a fatty alcohol having first carbon chain lengths and a stream of a fatty alcohol having second carbon chain lengths, said second carbon chain lengths being longer than said first carbon chain lengths.

Process for the co-production of fatty alcohols showing different carbon chain lengths

Multi-step hydrodesulfurization process

Esterification is carried out in a column reactor (14) in which there is a plurality of esterification trays (15) each having predetermined liquid hold-up and containing a charge of a solid esterification catalyst thereon. e.g. an ion exchange resin containing a --SO.sub.3 H and/or --COOH groups. A liquid phase containing the carboxylic acid component, e.g. a fatty acid mixture, flows down the column reactor from one esterification tray to the next downward one against an upflowing alcohol vapour stream, e.g. methanol vapour. Relatively dry alcohol vapour is injected (21) into the bottom of the column reactor. Water of esterification is removed from the top of the column reactor in the vapour stream (26), whilst ester product is recovered (23) from the sump of the reactor. As the liquid flows down the trays it encounters progressively drier alocohol and the esterification equilibrium reaction is driven further and further towards 100% ester formation. A polishing reactor (304) operated under liquid phase conditions may follow the column reactor, the ester-containing product from which is mixed with further alcohol before admission to the polishing reactor.

Growing community of inventors

Radlett, United Kingdom

Donald H McKinley