Amoco Corporation

Bp Corporation North America Inc.

Ineos USA LLC

Hassan Taheri

Paul A Jacobson

Curtis D Dickinson

Muin S Haddad

Bernard L Meyers

Philip A Wolfe

Henry A McCandless

John L Cearley

Improved apparatus for use in process systems which include exothermic chemical conversions of organic compounds to value added products is disclosed, more particularly, flow reactors for exothermic chemical conversions using a fixed heterogeneous catalyst with means for control of the exotherm. Flow reactors of the invention comprise a plurality of walled conduits each having an outer surface disposed for contact with a heat-transfer medium, an inlet distribution manifold adapted for flow communication with a downstream manifold through channels formed by heterogeneous catalytic material disposed within each conduit during operation in a sequence of zones for catalyst having the same or different length along the longitudinal coordinate of the conduit and within each zone essentially uniform cross-section of the conduit measured in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal coordinate thereby defining volume of the zone, and the sequence of zones comprising of at least two zones such that each downstream zone has a larger or smaller cross-section than the contiguous upstream zone. Another aspect of the invention includes processes which use such flow reactors, for example the continuous manufacture of maleic anhydride.

Flow reactors for chemical conversions with heterogeneous catalysts

Flow reactor having a plurality of walled conduits each having an outer surface disposed for contact with a heat-transfer medium, an inlet distribution manifold in flow communication with a downstream manifold through channels formed by heterogeneous catalytic material disposed within each conduit during operation, and a sequence of zones comprising at least two zones, the zones including the walled conduits. The walled conduits within each zone have the same or different length measured along a longitudinal coordinate of the zone, the walled conduits within each zone have essentially uniform cross-section measured in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal coordinate thereby defining volume of the zone, and in the sequence of zones, the total cross-sectional area of the conduits in each downstream zone varies from the prior upstream zone. At least one crossover chamber is provided in flow communication with the plurality of walled conduits of a downstream zone and the plurality of walled conduits of the prior upstream zone. A shell is present for maintaining during operation the outer surface the plurality of walled conduits of each zone predominantly in contact with a heat transfer medium, the shell having an inlet in flow communication with an outlet for flow of the heat-transfer medium.

A catalyst for the production of maleic anhydride by oxidation of butane and a process for the production of a catalyst using phosphoric acid and glycol ether solvents.

Catalysts for the production of maleic anhydride by the oxidation of

A continuous process is disclosed for the production of maleic anhydride by the partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon feedstock comprising n-butane in a concentration of at least 1.6 mole percent wherein a mixture of the feedstock and an oxidizing medium is contacted with a vanadium-phosphorus-oxygen catalyst wherein a solution of water and an alkyl ester of orthophosphoric acid is continually added to said feedstock, wherein ratio of water to elemental phosphorus in said alkyl ester is in the range of from about 6500:1 wt. to about 50,000:1 wt., water to phosphorus, and the differences in reaction temperature throughout the entire reaction zone is less than about 45.degree. C. (80.degree. F.).

Continuous process for the production of maleic anhydride from a C.sub.4

A continuous process for production of maleic anhydride is disclosed wherein maleic anhydride is produced in high yield and catalyst productivity is in the range of from about 0.12 to about 0.18 pounds of maleic anyhdride produced per pound of catalyst per hour. The catalyst comprises vanadium-phosphorus-oxygen and a modifier, preferably molybdenum. The increased catalyst productivity substantially increases production rates without necessity for extensive equipment modification.

Continuous process for the production of maleic anhydride

A process for the manufacture of maleic anhydride using phosphorus-vanadium catalyst and peroxide modifiers.

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Naperville, IL, United States of America

Hassan Taheri