The Dow Chemical Company

George W Lyon

Roscoe L Pearce

A method for dehydrogenating an alkyl aromatic compound, particularly, ethylbenzene or ethyl toluene, to its corresponding vinyl aromatic derivative, styrene or methyl styrene, respectively, in which the alkyl aromatic compound and its normally attendant diluent, stream or water, are preheated to a temperature below which any substantial thermal reaction temperature of the alkyl aromatic compound occurs, viz., 450.degree. to about 500.degree. C., and introduced into a catalytic bed of a reactor and thereafter contacted and mixed in said catalytic bed with a quantity of steam in an amount and at a temperature to raise the alkyl aromatic compound to the catalytic dehydrogenation temperature. The steam introduced into the catalyst bed, in a ratio less than 3 to 1 to about 0.7 to 1, steam to hydrocarbon passes through the bed in heat exchange relationship to the catalyst and the reacting gases prior to contacting and mixing with the alkyl aromatic compound in the bed.

Method of dehydrogenation of alkyl aromatics to alkenyl aromatics

This invention relates to the low temperature regeneration of liquid desiccants and acid gas absorbing liquid desiccants. Both classes of desiccants can be regenerated to separate water and/or water and acid gases to a satifactory degree under the pressure conditions employed at temperatures substantially below the normal boiling point of the dry desiccant or desiccant-water mixture by countercurrently contacting the desiccant to be regenerated in conventional distillation equipment with the vapors of an easily condensable hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon mixture which is substantially immiscible with the regenerated desiccant at the boiling temperature of the hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon mixture employed as a stripping agent.

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Midland, MI, United States of America

George W Lyon