T.en Process Technology, Inc.

Iowa Corn Promotion Board

Aither Chemical LLC

Mark Nunley

Brooke Albin

Donald L Bunning

David James Schreck

Michael C Bradford

Louis A Kapicak

Ray W Chrisman

Madan Mohan Bhasin

George Ernest Keller, Ii

William George Etzkorn

Parvez H Wadia

Lou Kapicak

By this invention processes are provided for the conversion of carbohydrate to ethylene glycol by retro-aldol catalysis and sequential hydrogenation using control methods having at least one of acetol (hydroxyacetone) and a tracer as inputs.

Continuous, carbohydrate to ethylene glycol processes

Control methods are disclosed for continuous, unmodulated, multiple catalytic conversion step processes using at least two catalysts, a first catalyst and a second catalyst, that accommodate changes in the performance of each catalyst and the relative performances of the catalysts. In the methods, certain process parameters are used in a manner that is indicative of changes in catalyst performance, and the control methods provide for adjustment of at least one of: the absolute amount of catalytically active species and relative amounts of each of the first catalyst and second catalyst and at least one of the rate of feed or concentration of the raw material to the reaction zone.

Methods for operating continuous, unmodulated, multiple catalytic step processes

Retro-aldol processes are disclosed that use very low concentrations of retro-aldol catalyst in combination with hydrogenation catalyst of certain activities, sizes and spatial dispersions to obtain the high selectivities to ethylene glycol.

Continuous processes for the selective conversion of aldohexose-yielding carbohydrate to ethylene glycol using low concentrations of retro-aldol catalyst

Continuous processes for making ethylene glycol form aldohexose-yielding carbohydrates are disclosed which enhance the selectivity to ethylene glycol.

Continuous processes for the highly selective conversion of aldohexose-yielding carbohydrate to ethylene glycol

A method is disclosed of coupling and integrating natural gas recovery and separation along with chemical conversion. The method can comprise extracting at least one natural gas component. Non-limiting examples of the extracted component include ethane, propane, butanes, and pentanes. The method can also comprise contacting a natural gas stream with a catalyst under conditions that selectively convert at least one component into at least one product, such as ethylene, acetic acid, polyethylene, vinyl acetate, ethylene vinyl acetate, ethylene oxide, ethylene glycol, and their derivatives, propylene, polypropylene, propylene oxide, propylene glycol, acrylates, acrolein, acrylic acid, butenes, butadiene, methacrolein, methacrylic acid, methacrylates, and their derivatives, which can then be separated from the remaining components. The method can further comprise integrating production of ethylene, acetic acid, and/or vinyl acetate with polymerization of ethylene-based polymers, such as polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, ethylene vinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, or polyvinyl alcohol.

Methods for integrated natural gas purification and products produced therefrom

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Charleston, WV, United States of America

Mark Nunley