Davy Process Technology Limited

Johnson Matthey Davy Technologies Limited

Roger Bence

Michael Hilton

Mark A Linthwaite

Robert Wild

Robert Gallen

Peter Hinton

A process for the production of propylene glycol from a lactate ester is disclosed. The process comprises supplying a feed comprising a Calkyl lactate ester. The feed is contacted with a stream of hydrogen containing gas and subjected to hydrogenation in the vapour phase in the presence of a catalyst at a temperature of from about 130&#xb0; C. to about 185&#xb0; C., a pressure of from about 20 bar to about 60 bar, and a weight hourly space velocity greater than about 0.3 h. The catalyst is a reduced copper catalyst selected from copper alumina, optionally comprising manganese, copper chromite, copper zinc oxide and Raney copper.

Process for the production of propylene glycol from lactate ester

A process is described in which an elastic fluid is contacted with a particulate solid. This comprises providing a substantially vertical elongate tubular containment zone () containing a charge of the particulate solid (), the volume of the containment zone () being greater than the settled volume of the particulate solid (). An upper retainer means () is mounted at the upper end of the containment zone (), the upper retainer means () being permeable to the fluid but adapted to retain particulate solid () in the containment zone (). A follower means () is movably mounted in the containment zone () beneath the charge of particulate solid () for movement upwardly from the lower end of the containment zone () upon upward flow of elastic fluid through the containment zone () at a rate beyond a threshold rate. In the process the elastic fluid is caused to flow upwardly through the containment zone () at a rate which is sufficient to cause particulate solid () to rise up towards the upper end of the containment zone and form a cushion of particulate solid () against the underside of the upper retainer means (). This rate is in excess of the threshold rate so as to cause the follower means () to move upwardly until it abuts against the underside of the cushion of particulate solid (). The invention also provides an apparatus suitable for carrying out such a process and a method of loading a particulate solid into a substantially vertical tube.

Process and apparatus for loading a particulate solid into a vertical tube

A steam reforming furnace has a plurality of substantially vertical reformer tubes. Each reformer tube has a feed inlet at its lower end, an outlet at its upper end, and a catalyst containment zone disposed intermediate its upper and lower ends and contains a charge of a particulate steam reforming catalyst which is insufficient to fill completely the catalyst containment zone. An upper retainer means is mounted at the upper end of the catalyst containment zone and is permeable to gas or vapor but retains particles of the catalyst in the catalyst containment zone. A follower means is movably mounted in the catalyst containment zone beneath the charge catalyst for movement upwardly from a lower end of the containment zone upon upward flow of gas through the catalyst containment zone at a rate beyond a threshold rate.

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London, United Kingdom

Roger Bence