Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions Ag

Thyssenkrupp Uhde Gmbh

Evonik Degussa Gmbh

Thyssen Krupp Ag

Evonik Operations Gmbh

Vinnolit Gmbh&co. Kg

Michael Kleiber

Willi Hofen

Thomas Haas

Michael Benje

Bernd Jaeger

Wolfgang Wöll

Helmut Gehrke

Marc Brendel

Bärbel Kolbe

Joachim Schulze

Manfred Bärz

Sven Petersen

Hans-Christian Dietz

Shashank Ghanegaonkar

Stefan Gehrmann

Ulrike Gnabs

Marcel Gawenda

Nils Tenhumberg

A process can produce alcohols having at least two carbon atoms by catalytic conversion of synthesis gas into a mixture containing alkanes, alkenes, and alcohols. Alkenes are converted into corresponding alcohols in a subsequent step by hydration of the alkanes. Before the hydration and after the catalytic conversion, gas and liquid phases may be separated. Specific catalysts can be employed that have a markedly higher selectivity for alkenes than for alkanes. These catalysts comprise grains of non-graphitic carbon having cobalt nanoparticles dispersed therein. The cobalt nanoparticles have an average diameter dfrom 1 to 20 nm, and an average distance D between nanoparticles is from 2 to 150 nm. The combined total mass fraction of metal ω in the grains ranges from 30% to 70% by weight of the total mass of the grains of non-graphitic carbon, wherein 4.5 dp/ω>D≥0.25 dp/ω.

Process of preparing alcohols

A process can be used for recovering 1-methoxy-2-propanol and 2-methoxy-1-propanol from an aqueous effluent stream by liquid-liquid-extraction, followed by extractive distillation, distillation of methoxypropanols from the extraction solvent, and distillative separation of the methoxypropanol isomers. Recovered extraction solvent is recycled to the extraction and extractive distillation. Heat transfer from recovered extraction solvent to the extract fed to the extractive distillation reduces energy demand of the process. A facility for this process contains a countercurrent extraction column, an extractive distillation column, a solvent recovery distillation column, an isomer separation distillation column, and a heat exchanger for transferring heat from recovered extraction solvent to the extract fed to the extractive distillation.

Process and facility for recovering methoxypropanols from an aqueous stream

In a process for the epoxidation of propene, comprising the steps of reacting propene with hydrogen peroxide, separating propene oxide and a recovered propene stream from the reaction mixture, separating propane from all or a part of the recovered propene stream in a Csplitter column, and passing the overhead product stream of the Csplitter column to the epoxidation step, a propane starting material with a propane fraction of from 0.002 to 0.10 is used, the epoxidation is operated to provide a propane fraction in the reaction mixture of from 0.05 to 0.20 and the Csplitter column is operated to provide an overhead product stream which comprises a propane fraction of at least 0.04 in order to reduce the size and the energy consumption of the Csplitter column.

Process for the epoxidation of propene

Method of concentrating aqueous alkali and apparatus suitable for this purpose. A very energy-saving method of concentrating aqueous alkali originating, for example, from a chloralkali electrolysis plant and an apparatus suitable for this purpose are described. The method/the apparatus utilizes heat of reaction from the formation of 1,2-dichloroethane and includes multistage concentration of the aqueous alkali, where at least part of the heat required for concentrating the aqueous alkali originates from the plant for preparing 1,2-dichloroethane and at least a further part of the heat required for concentrating the aqueous alkali originates from at least one of the higher stages of the plant for concentrating the aqueous alkali and is used for partial heating of the first stage. The apparatus can be used for retrofitting existing integrated plants made up of a DCE plant and chloralkali electrolysis or in the erection of new plants.

Method for concentrating aqueous lye and apparatus suitable therefor

Method and devices for separating and purifying carboxylic acids from fermentation broths comprising carboxylic acid ammonium salts are disclosed herein. The method includes (a) removing biomass and any solids present from the fermentation broth; (b) preparing a solution comprising the desired carboxylic acid and an additional solution comprising ammonium salts, by carrying out simulated moving bed chromatography (SMB); (c) ultra-purifying the solution comprising the desired carboxylic acid from method step (b); (d) concentrating the purified carboxylic acid solution from method step (c); (e) crystallizing the concentrated carboxylic acid solution from method step (d); and (f) concentrating the additional solution comprising ammonium salts from method step (b). A combination of reverse osmosis and evaporation is carried out in method steps (d) and (f), and the vapor from the evaporation of method step (f) is passed into the evaporation of method step (d).

Method for purifying carboxylic acids from fermentation broths

Growing community of inventors

Hattersheim, Germany

Michael Kleiber