Imperial Chemical Industries Limited

Katalco Corp.

Avocet Fuel Solutions, Inc.

Avocet IP Limited

James R Jennings

Philip J Hogan

Lawrence F Kelly

Percy Hayden

George N Pessimisis

Ross J Cozens

Lawrence Francis Kelly

Sydney P Andrew

Godfrey C Chinchen

Glyn D Short

Phineas Davies

Michael J Lalkham

Dipankar Sen

Glyn David Short

Andrew J Allchurch

Jack Wolstenholme

An apparatus for producing polyethylene glycol dinitrate. The apparatus includes providing continuously an acid composition and a glycol composition to a reaction apparatus; reacting the acid composition and the glycol composition in the reaction apparatus in a continuous manner to generate a reaction composition; using an alkaline composition to at least partially neutralize the reaction composition to cause at least a portion of the polyethylene glycol dinitrate to deposit from a solution of the reaction composition; and extracting the deposit of polyethylene glycol dinitrate.

Apparatus and method for continuous production of polyethylene glycol dinitrate

Carbon monoxide conversion processes are described for the conversion of carbon monoxide via hydrogenation to methanol. The process utilizes initial carbon monoxide priming before introduction of 3:1 hydrogen/carbon dioxide mixture to the reactor. After the optimum reaction conditions are established the feed of carbon monoxide may be withdrawn and any required carbon monoxide provided via reactor effluent recycle. The process provides for enhanced catalyst performance and life.

Process for the conversion of carbon dioxide to methanol

Carbon dioxide conversion processes are described for the conversion of carbon dioxide via hydrogenation to hydrocarbons. The process utilizes an initial feed of carbon monoxide and hydrogen converted under Fischer Tropsch conditions to hydrocarbons followed by subsequent displacement of the carbon monoxide in the reactor feed with carbon dioxide, which is then converted to carbon monoxide under reverse water gas shift conditions and the initial carbon monoxide feed being terminated once the reverse water gas shift conversion of carbon dioxide. After the optimum reaction conditions are established the feed of carbon monoxide may be withdrawn and any required carbon monoxide provided via reactor effluent recycle. The process provides for enhanced catalyst performance and life.

Conversion of carbon dioxide to hydrocarbons via hydrogenation

Production of ethylene oxide

Methanol synthesis over a catalyst derived from an alloy of copper and/or a platinum group metal and a highly oxidizable metal such as a rare earth metal can be carried out at unusually low temperatures such as 70.degree. C. and using synthesis gas deficient in hydrogen. The process life of the catalyst is no longer if the starting alloy contains a further metal such as aluminum or manganese. The synthesis gas should preferably be very pure and substantially free of carbon dioxide and water vapor. The process can be advantageously carried out using the catalyst suspended in an inert liquid.

Catalytic process

A catalyst suitable for a carbon oxides conversion process comprises metallic copper and oxides of zinc and/or magnesium and has a copper metal surface area of at least 70 m.sup.2 per g of copper. Whereas conventional catalysts are normally made by forming an intimate mixture of discrete particles of compounds of copper, and zinc and/or magnesium, and optionally at least one other element such as aluminum, calcining the composition to convert the constituents to oxides and then subjecting the calcined composition to reduction conditions so that the copper compounds therein are converted to copper, the high copper area catalysts are made by a process in which the calcination stage is omitted so that the copper compounds in the intimate mixture are reduced to metallic copper without the intimate mixture being heated to a temperature above 250.degree. C. Where the catalyst is required in pelleted form, it is preferably pelleted after reduction.

Process for the manufacture of a catalyst

High surface area, e.g. precipitated, ammonia catalyst precursors are promoted with an alkali metal salt of a transition metal acid, e.g. potassium ferrate, ferrite, permanganate, ruthenate, chromate, or ferrocyanide. The use of such promoters in place of potassium carbonate enables the catalyst to be activated at lower temperatures thus reducing the risk of sintering of the active metal.

Catalysts for ammonia synthesis

An ammonia synthesis catalyst precursor having a high BET surface area and containing oxides of iron, cobalt, aluminum, and an alkali metal of atomic number equal to, or greater than, 19. On reduction the precursor gives a catalyst having a high initial activity relative to that of a catalyst obtained by reduction of a standard fused, cobalt-free, precursor. The precursor may be made by precipitation followed by calcination.

Catalyst precursor for ammonia synthesis and process for its production

An iron oxide containing precursor to a catalyst, for e.g. ammonia synthesis having a surface area above 10 m.sup.2.g.sup.-1 also containing alumina and cobalt oxide. The latter serves to increase the catalytic activity and/or reduce the rate of decline of catalytic activity. For use as an ammonia synthesis catalyst precursor, an alkali metal, e.g. potassium, is preferably incorporated into the composition to promote catalytic activity. The composition may be made by precipitation followed by calcination.

Iron catalyst and method of producing it

A pelleted iron oxide catalyst precursor wherein the iron oxide has an O/Fe atomic ratio in the range 1.2 to 1.4, a high surface area and a density of at least 2.6 g.cm.sup.-3. The precursor may be made by de-oxidizing, by heating in the presence of a steam/hydrogen mixture, an iron oxide composition made by precipitation and calcination, followed by pelleting after-de-oxidation.

An iron oxide containing precursor to a catalyst for e.g. ammonia synthesis, having a surface area above 10 m.sup.2 .multidot.g.sup.-1 also containing alumina and an alkaline earth. The alkaline earth may be present as an alkaline earth aluminate. The composition may be made by precipitation followed by calcination. For use as an ammonia synthesis catalyst precursor, an alkali metal, e.g. potassium, is preferably incorporated into the composition to promote catalytic activity. The presence of 'free' alkaline earth, as opposed to alkaline earth aluminate reduces the amount of alkali metal required.

Catalysts for ammonia synthesis and process for producing the catalyst

A substantially iron-free copper nitrate solution is made by dissolving a copper-containing solid catalyst composition such as a used copper-zinc oxide-alumina methanol synthesis catalyst in nitric acid and controlling the acid concentration at a level such that any iron oxide present in the composition remains substantially undissolved. The acid concentration during dissolution is preferably under 4 molar. Alternatively or additionally the terminal pH is greater than 1.0. The resulting solution is pure enough for reconversion to catalyst by co-precipitation.

Catalyst

The Abstract of the Invention is a method of making a solution of the nitrates of iron and chromium from a spent catalyst containing oxides of iron and chromium, which method comprises:

Method of making an iron oxidechromium oxide catalyst

An oxychlorination catalyst contains a copper compound, magnesium oxide and aluminium oxide, and the copper compound is present as a distinct phase on a support in which at least part of the magnesium oxide is in combined form with alumina.

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Yarm, United Kingdom

James R Jennings