Johnson Matthey Inc.

Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Norman Macleod

Gordon Edward Wilson

Avelino Corma Canos

Antonio Chica Lara

Yonhy Saavedra Lopez

Peter Edward James Abbott

Ruth Ann Davis

Kaamila Un Din

Youxin Cui

Monica Garcia

Simone Roloff-standring

Michael Thomas Nicholson

Pauline Elizabeth Glen

Gavin Potter

Elaine Margaret Vass

Gabriele Germani

David Carass

A method for preparing a copper-containing catalyst is described comprising the steps of: (a) combining an acidic copper-containing solution with a first basic precipitant solution in a first precipitation step to form a first precipitate, (b) combining an acidic aluminium-containing solution, further comprising one or more metal compounds selected from copper compounds, zinc compounds and promoter compounds, with a second basic precipitant solution in a second precipitation step to form a second precipitate, (c) contacting the first and second precipitates together in a further mixing step to form a catalyst precursor, and (d) washing, drying and calcining the catalyst precursor to form the copper-containing catalyst, wherein a silica precursor is included in the first precipitation step, the second precipitation step or the precipitate mixing step, to provide a catalyst with a silica content, expressed as S1O2, in the range of 0.1 to 5.0 wt %.

Method for making copper-containing catalysts

A particulate desulfurization material includes one or more copper compounds supported on a zinc oxide support material, wherein the desulfurization material has a copper content in the range 0.1 to 5.0% by weight and a tapped bulk density &#x2265;1.55 kg/l. The material is obtained by (i) mixing a powdered copper compound with a particulate zinc support material comprising zinc oxide and one or more precursors that form zinc oxide upon calcination, and one or more binders to form a copper-containing composition, (ii) shaping the copper-containing composition by granulation, and (iii) drying and calcining the resulting granulated material.

Desulphurisation material comprising copper supported on zinc oxide

A particulate desulphurization material includes one or more copper compounds supported on a zinc oxide support material, wherein the desulphurization material has a copper content in the range 0.1 to 5.0% by weight and a tapped bulk density &#x2267;1.55 kg/l. The material is obtained by (i) mixing a powdered copper compound with a particulate zinc support material comprising zinc oxide and one or more precursors that form zinc oxide upon calcination, and one or more binders to form a copper-containing composition, (ii) shaping the copper-containing composition by granulation, and (iii) drying and calcining the resulting granulated material.

A process for reducing the thiophene content in a synthesis gas mixture, comprises the steps of (i) passing a synthesis gas mixture comprising hydrogen and carbon oxides and containing thiophene over a copper-containing sorbent disposed in a sorbent vessel at an inlet temperature in the range 200-280&#xb0; C., (ii) withdrawing a thiophene depleted synthesis gas containing methanol from the sorbent vessel, and (iii) adjusting the temperature of the methanol-containing thiophene-depleted synthesis gas mixture. The resulting gas mixture may be used for production of chemicals, e.g. methanol production or for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of liquid hydrocarbons, for hydrogen production by using water gas shift, or for the production of synthetic natural gas.

Process for generating a synthetic natural gas

A process for desulphurizing hydrocarbons includes passing a mixture of hydrocarbon and hydrogen over a hydrodesulphurization catalyst to convert organosulphur compounds present in the hydrocarbon to hydrogen sulphide, passing the resulting mixture over a hydrogen sulphide sorbent including zinc oxide to reduce the hydrogen sulphide content of the mixture, and passing the hydrogen sulphide-depleted mixture over a further desulphurization material. The further desulphurization material includes one or more nickel compounds, a zinc oxide support material, and optionally one or more promoter metal compounds of iron, cobalt, copper and precious metals. The desulphurization material has a nickel content in the range 0.3 to 20% by weight and a promoter metal compound content in the range 0 to 10% by weight.

Desulphurisation process

A process for hydrogenating olefins is disclosed. The olefins are present in a feed gas which includes Hand one or more sulfur compounds. The sulfur compounds may include HS and organic sulfur compounds. The feed gas is passed through a reactor at an inlet temperature from 100&#xb0; C. to 250&#xb0; C. The reactor contains a catalyst which is active at the inlet temperature. The reactor may be adiabatic. Saturated hydrocarbons are formed from the olefins. A temperature gradient may be formed in the reactor due to the exothermic nature of the hydrogenation reaction, causing the temperature to increase downstream in the reactor. At temperatures higher than the inlet temperature, HS may be formed from organic sulfur compounds. A gas mixture including saturated hydrocarbons, HS and Hexits the reactor and may be brought into contact with a chemical adsorbent which removes the HS. The gas stream may then be passed to a steam methane reformer.

Process for hydrogenating olefins

A process for the preparation of a desulfurization material includes:

Preparation of desulphurisation materials

A particulate desulfurization material includes one or more nickel compounds, a zinc oxide support material, and one or more alkali metal compounds wherein the nickel content of the material is in the range 0.3 to 10% by weight and the alkali metal content of the material is in the range 0.2 to 10% by weight. A method of making the desulfurization material includes the steps: The desulfurization material may be used to desulfurize hydrocarbon gas streams with reduced levels of hydrocarbon hydrogenolysis.

Growing community of inventors

Hartlepool, United Kingdom

Norman Macleod