Celanese International Corporation

Celanese International Corporaton

Heiko Weiner

Victor J Johnston

Zhenhua Zhou

Radmila Jevtic

R Jay Warner

Josefina T Chapman

Radmila Wollrab

Lincoln Sarager

Trinity Horton

David E Lee

Mark O Scates

James H Zink

Tianshu Pan

Gerald Grusendorf

John L Potts

Dick Alan Nagaki

Emily Duff

Barbara F Kimmich

Laiyuan Chen

Craig J Peterson

Dheeraj Kumar

Trinity Horton Hale

Alexandra S Locke

Nathan Bower

Adam Orosco

Robert Cunningham

Sean G Mueller

Xiaoyan Tu

Iva Franjkic

Ronald David Shaver

Elizabeth Bowden

Andrew Shuff

Gerald Gruesendorf

G Paull Torrence

Tatiana H Sonnenberg

Al Amleh

Radmilla Wollrab

Craig T Peterson

Victor J Johnson

Zhenhou Zhou

The present invention relates to a solid catalyst for producing ethanol from acetic acid, ethyl acetate, or mixtures thereof comprising a core region comprising a Group IIA metal and a surface region surrounding the core region and comprising one or more main metals. The total loading of the main metals in the catalyst is greater than or equal to 1 wt. %. Also more than 85% of main metals are located in the surface region, based on the total loading of the main metals in the catalyst. The surface region may comprise two or more layers.

Process for producing ethanol using a solid catalyst

The present invention produces ethanol in a stacked bed reactor that comprises a first catalyst and a second catalyst, wherein the first and second catalysts comprise at least one group VIII metal, and wherein the second catalyst is substantially free of copper. The crude ethanol product may be separated and ethanol recovered.

Process for producing ethanol using multiple beds each having different catalysts

A process is disclosed for producing ethanol, comprising contacting acetic acid and hydrogen in a reactor in the presence of a catalyst comprising a binder, a mixed oxide, and at least two promoter metals comprising ruthenium and bismuth. The mixed oxide preferably also comprises cobalt and tin.

Ruthenium-bismuth mixed oxide hydrogenation catalysts and processes for producing ethanol

Acetic acid is hydrogenation in the presence of a catalyst comprising one or more active metals on a silica support, wherein the catalyst has a radial crush strength of at least 4 N/mm. The one or more active metals may include cobalt, copper, gold, iron, nickel, palladium, platinum, iridium, osmium, rhenium, rhodium, ruthenium, tin, zinc, lanthanum, cerium, manganese, chromium, vanadium, molybdenum and mixtures thereof. Radial crush strength may be improved by steam treating the catalyst support prior to the loading of the one or more active metals.

Ethanol manufacturing process over catalyst having improved radial crush strength

A process is disclosed for producing ethanol, comprising contacting acetic acid and hydrogen in a reactor in the presence of a catalyst comprising a binder and a mixed oxide comprising cobalt and preferably tin, wherein the mixed oxide is present in an amount from 60 to 90 wt. %, based on the total weight of the catalyst.

Hydrogenation catalysts comprising a mixed oxide and processes for producing ethanol

A process is disclosed for producing ethanol, comprising contacting hydrogen and a feed stream comprising acetic acid in a reactor in the presence of a catalyst comprising a binder and a mixed oxide comprising a promoter metal and tin, and preferably also comprising cobalt. The promoter metal is selected from the group consisting of rhenium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, and combinations thereof. The feed stream may comprises pure acetic acid or may comprise a mixture of 50 to 95 wt. % acetic acid and 5 to 50 wt. % ethyl acetate.

Hydrogenation catalysts comprising a mixed oxide comprising a promoter metal

The present invention relates to catalysts, to processes for making catalysts and to chemical processes employing such catalysts. The catalysts are preferably used for converting acetic acid to ethanol. The catalyst comprises a precious metal and one or more active metals on a modified support. The modified support may comprise cobalt tungstate.

Process for producing ethanol using hydrogenation catalysts

The present invention is directed to the separation of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the vaporization and hydrogenation of acetic acid using reduced residence time for the vapor phase reactants between exiting the vaporizer and entering the reactor. The crude ethanol product is separated in at least one column to recover an ethanol product.

Hydrogenation process with reduced residence time for vapor phase reactants

A process is disclosed for producing ethanol comprising contacting reactants comprising acetic acid and hydrogen in a reactor in the presence of a first catalyst in a first zone and a second catalyst in a second zone. The first catalyst is a mixed oxide comprising tin and at least one of cobalt or nickel. The second catalyst may be either: i) a supported Group VIII hydrogenation catalyst; ii) a copper-based catalyst; and iii) a secondary mixed oxide catalyst, wherein the secondary mixed oxide catalyst is different than the mixed oxide catalyst of the first zone.

Process for producing ethanol with zonal catalysts

The present invention relates to a process for the formation of alcohols from alkanoic acids, the steps of the process comprising: contacting a feed stream containing the alkanoic acid and hydrogen at an elevated temperature with a hydrogenating catalyst comprising from 3 to 25 wt. % of active metals on a support, wherein the active metals comprise cobalt and tin.

Cobalt/tin catalyst for producing ethanol

In one embodiment, the invention is to a process for purifying a crude ethanol product. The process comprises the step of hydrogenating acetic acid in a reactor in the presence of a catalyst to form the crude ethanol product. The process further comprises the step of separating at least a portion of the crude ethanol product in a purification zone. The purification zone preferably comprises a first column, which yields a first distillate comprising ethanol, water and ethyl acetate, and a first residue comprising acetic acid. The at least a portion of the crude ethanol product has a residence time from the reactor to the purification zone from 5 minutes to 5 days.

Processes for maximizing ethanol formation in the hydrogenation of acetic acid

The present invention relates to catalysts, to processes for making catalysts and to chemical processes employing such catalysts. The catalysts are preferably used for converting acetic acid to ethanol. The catalyst comprises a precious metal and one or more active metals on a modified support that comprises cobalt.

Hydrogenation catalysts with cobalt-modified supports

A process for selective formation of ethanol from acetic acid by hydrogenating acetic acid in the presence of a catalyst comprising a modified support having cobalt and an alkaline earth support modifier. The active metals may include a first metal of palladium, platinum, and combinations thereof and a second metal of copper, iron, nickel, zinc, silver, chromium, tin, and combinations thereof.

Hydrogenation catalysts with cobalt and alkaline-earth metal modified supports

The present invention relates to a catalyst having an amorphous support and one or more active metals. The amorphous support may comprise a support material and an amorphous support modifier, which adjusts the acidity of the support material. In preparing the amorphous catalyst, post-synthesis treatment, i.e. calcination, may be used to adjust the catalyst performance while converting acetic acid to ethanol.

Hydrogenation catalysts having an amorphous support

A process for produce ethanol by hydrogenation acetic acid and/or esters thereof is disclosed. The process involves reacting hydrogen feed stream with an acetic acid feed stream in a reactor operated in the presence of a catalyst to form an ethanol mixture and monitoring carbon monoxide concentration of the fresh hydrogen feed stream and adjusting temperature in the reactor in response to the carbon monoxide concentration of the fresh hydrogen feed stream.

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Pasadena, TX, United States of America

Heiko Weiner