Celanese International Corporation

Celanese International Corporaton

Radmila Jevtic

Victor J Johnston

Heiko Weiner

R Jay Warner

Lincoln Sarager

Trinity Horton

David E Lee

Zhenhua Zhou

Adam Orosco

Josefina T Chapman

Gerald Grusendorf

Tianshu Pan

John L Potts

James H Zink

Nathan Kirk Powell

Barbara F Kimmich

Laiyuan Chen

Manuel Salado

Robert Cunningham

Emily Duff

Fred Ronald Olsson

Nathan Bower

Mark O Scates

Gerald Gruesendorf

Ronald David Shaver

Dheeraj Kumar

Al Amleh

G Paull Torrence

Trinity Horton Hale

Xiaoyan Tu

Iva Franjkic

Alfonso Javier Torres

Wael Amleh

Samuel Roundy

Murray Viard

Stephen Kerlegon

Jay R Warner

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

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

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

Recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid and by reacting a portion of the crude ethanol product or one or more derivative streams containing ethyl acetate obtained therefrom in the presence of hydrogen, via hydrogenolyzis. The one or more derivative streams comprise ethyl acetate that are reacted via hydrogenolyzis to form additional ethanol that may be directly or indirectly fed to the separation zone or the hydrogenation reactor.

Hydrogenolysis of ethyl acetate in alcohol separation processes

The present invention relates to a catalyst composition having a support that contains tin. The catalyst is used for converting acetic acid to ethanol. The catalyst may also comprise one or more active metals and a support modifier.

Catalyst having support containing tin and process for manufacturing ethanol

The present invention relates to the recovery of alcohols, in particular ethanol, from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid using a reduced energy process. The crude ethanol product may be fed to a distillation column in which a substantial portion of the water is removed with the acetic acid in the residue. Additional water may be removed by using a pressure swing adsorption unit, molecular sieve, and/or membrane. Ethanol extraction may also be used to reduce the ethanol concentration in the recycle streams.

Reduced energy alcohol separation process having water removal

The present invention relates to a process for the formation of an alcohol from an alkanoic acid, 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 comprising tin and cobalt and a metal promoter selected from the group consisting of noble metals or first metal, the first metal selected from the group of barium, cesium and potassium.

Promoters for cobalt-tin catalysts for reducing alkanoic acids

Recycle streams in an ethanol production process are hydrolyzed to reduce ethyl acetate concentration. In the process, acetic acid is hydrogenated to form a crude ethanol product, which undergoes a separation or purification process. Ethyl acetate is formed as a byproduct of the hydrogenation of acetic acid. The hydrolysis of recycle steams from the separation process can reduce the concentration of ethyl acetate, converting some or all of the ethyl acetate to acetic acid and ethanol.

Reducing ethyl acetate concentration in recycle streams for ethanol production processes

A hydrogenation catalyst and process using the catalyst for converting a mixture comprising acetic acid and ethyl acetate to ethanol at a first temperature, and the catalyst desorbs ethyl acetate, in the absence of hydrogen, at a second temperature that is greater than the first temperature. The catalyst has a suitable chemisorption of ethyl acetate at the first temperature in the absence of hydrogen. In one embodiment, the first temperature ranges from 125&#xb0; C. to 350&#xb0; C. and the second temperature ranges from 300&#xb0; C. to 600&#xb0; C. The catalyst comprises one or more active metals or oxide thereof on a support that comprises tungsten or an oxide thereof. The one or more active metals are selected from the group consisting of cobalt, copper, gold, iron, nickel, palladium, platinum, iridium, osmium, rhenium, rhodium, ruthenium, tin, zinc, lanthanum, cerium, manganese, chromium, vanadium, and molybdenum.

Chemisorption of ethyl acetate during hydrogenation of acetic acid to ethanol

The present invention relates to a process for the production of ethanol using a molar excess of hydrogen. A mixed feed of acetic acid and ethyl acetate is fed to a reactor to be converted to ethanol. Hydrogen flow is increased to avoid a negative conversion of ethyl acetate.

Process for producing ethanol using a molar excess of hydrogen

The present invention produces ethanol in a reactor that comprises a catalyst composition and a feed stream comprising acetic acid and a recycled liquid stream comprising ethyl acetate. The catalyst composition comprises a first catalyst comprising platinum, cobalt, and/or tin and a second catalyst comprising copper. The crude ethanol product may be separated and ethanol recovered.

Process for the production of ethanol from an acetic acid feed and a recycled ethyl acetate feed

Processes for producing alcohols such as ethanol and propanol from a mixed acid feedstock in an integrated process. In one embodiment, the process comprises the step of carbonylating methanol in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst to form a mixed acid feedstock comprising acetic acid and one or more higher acids, preferably comprising propionic acid. The mixed acid feed is hydrogenated in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst to form a crude alcohol product comprising ethanol and one or more higher alcohols, preferably including propanol.

Integrated process for producing alcohols from a mixed acid feed

A process for purifying an ethanol stream that comprises byproduct, such as aldehyde, acetals, and/or esters, but withdrawing a sidestream comprising ethanol from a distillation column. The sidestream may have a reduced concentration of aldehyde that reduces the formation of acetals in subsequent purification of the ethanol stream.

Process for removing aldehydes from ethanol reaction mixture

Recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid using a low energy process. The crude ethanol product is separated in a column to produce a distillate stream comprising acetaldehyde and a residue stream comprising ethanol, acetic acid, ethyl acetate and water. The ethanol product is recovered from the residue stream.

Process to recover alcohol from an ethyl acetate residue stream

In a process for producing ethanol, acetic acid is contacted with hydrogen in a reaction zone in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst to form a crude ethanol product comprising ethanol, hydrogen and carbon monoxide. At least a portion of the crude ethanol product is separated to yield a vapor stream and a liquid stream, wherein the vapor stream comprises hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and wherein the liquid stream comprises ethanol. At least a portion of the vapor stream is contacted with a methanation catalyst under conditions such that carbon monoxide reacts with hydrogen in the vapor stream portion to produce a treated stream comprising methane, hydrogen and less carbon monoxide than the vapor stream. At least a portion of the treated stream is returned directly or indirectly to the reaction zone and ethanol is recovered from the liquid stream.

Growing community of inventors

Pasadena, TX, United States of America

Radmila Jevtic