Shell Oil Comapny

Gerrit Jan Harmsen

Evert Van Der Heide

Cornelis Leonardus Maria Vrouwenvelder

Anton Pieter Westerink

Arthur Willibrordus Titus Rots

The invention provides a process for the preparation of an alkaline glycol from an alkaline carbonate, wherein alkaline carbonate is hydrolyzed in the presence of catalyst in a baffled reactor. The baffled reactor has at least four compartments, the compartments are formed by internal baffles and the internal baffles provide a sinuous route for reaction fluid through the reactor.

Process for the preparation of alkylene glycol

The invention relates to a process for the preparation of alkanediol, which process involves (a) contacting alkylene oxide with carbon dioxide in the presence of catalyst to obtain a first liquid reaction mixture containing cyclic carbonate, (b) optionally removing carbon dioxide and/or alkylene oxide, (c) increasing the pressure of the liquid reaction mixture obtained in step (a) and/or (b), (d) contacting the pressurized first reaction mixture obtained in step (c) with water in the presence of catalyst to obtain a second reaction mixture containing alkanediol and carbon dioxide, (e) separating the second reaction mixture into a liquid effluent and a gaseous effluent containing carbon dioxide, and (f) recycling at least part of the gaseous effluent containing carbon dioxide to step (a),in which process the pressure in step (d) is higher than the pressure in step (a).

Growing community of inventors

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Gerrit Jan Harmsen