Lyondell Chemical Technology, L.p.

Arco Chemical Technology, L.p.

Other

Equistar Chemicals, LP

Te Chang

David W Leyshon

Arsam Behkish

Jude T Ruszkay

Xiangmin Li

John H Speidel, Jr

Stephen Herbert Harris

Walter S Dubner

Elizabeth I Ross-Medgaarden

John C Jubin, Jr

Vijai P Gupta

Guy L Crocco

Gary A Sawyer

Jay F Miller

T Thomas Shih

Ha H Nguyen

Thomas S Zak

Tim T Wong

Patrick N Crowe

William H McDowell

George F Rowell

A propylene oxide separation system that comprises a distillation column, a decanter, and water wash system. The distillation column is configured to receive a crude propylene oxide stream, discharge an impurity stream that comprises methanol and water, and discharge a bottoms stream that comprises a majority of the propylene oxide entering in the crude propylene oxide stream. The decanter is configured to receive at least a portion of the impurity stream and a hydrocarbon solvent to provide for formation in the decanter of an organic phase and an aqueous phase. The organic phase comprises propylene oxide and hydrocarbon solvent, and is sent to the distillation column. The aqueous phase comprises a majority weight percent of the methanol and the water entering in the impurity stream. The water wash system is configured to receive and purge the aqueous phase from the propylene oxide separation system.

Alkylene oxide separation systems, methods, and apparatuses

A process for forming a concentrated solution, including distilling in a distillation zone comprised of 10 or more theoretical distillation stages, at a pressure of no greater than 300 mm Hg and a reflux ratio (D/L) of at least 1:1, an amount of an initial solution comprised of tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) in tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) having a TBHP concentration of up to 60 wt. % and a total impurity content greater than 0.01 wt. %, for a time and under distillation conditions to form a concentrated solution comprised of TBHP in TBA; and separating an overhead distillate from the distillation zone so that the concentrated solution thereafter has a TBHP concentration greater than 60 wt. %, a TBA concentration less than 40 wt. %, a water impurity content no greater than 0.1 wt. % and a total impurity content of no greater than 1 wt. %. Related epoxidation catalyst formation and epoxidation processes are also described.

Production of tert-butyl hydroperoxide solution and process to form products therefrom

The disclosure relates to a process for separating propylene oxide for a crude propylene oxide stream, for example an intermediate stream from a PO/TBA process. The crude propylene oxide stream can be passed through an extractive distillation column. The distillation column is operated at a pressure in a range of greater than 25 up to 50 psig, and/or at a temperature in a range of from 70 to 150 degrees Celsius using C-Cparaffin as extractive solvent with an overhead distillate water wash drum. The crude propylene oxide stream include from 0.001 to 0.1 wt % methanol, based on the total composition of the crude propylene oxide stream. The systems, methods, and apparatuses can produce a propylene oxide stream having less formaldehyde and acetaldehyde than the prior art.

A process for making propylene oxide from propylene is disclosed. The process comprises reacting propylene, oxygen, and hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst and a solvent to produce a reaction mixture comprising propylene oxide. Separation of propylene, oxygen, hydrogen, and propylene oxide from the reaction mixture results in a residual mixture comprising methanol. A portion of the residual mixture is recycled to the reaction. A portion of the residual mixture is distilled to generate a distilled methanol stream, which is recycled to the reaction.

Propylene oxide process

Product propylene oxide in a reaction mixture resulting from the reaction of propylene, oxygen and hydrogen or from the reaction of propylene and hydrogen peroxide is separated from propylene and/or propane by extractive distillation using methanol and/or water extractive distillation solvent.

Propylene oxide recovery process

A process is provided for the production of alkylene oxide by catalytic reaction of olefin, hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of promoting buffer salts, the improvement wherein the buffer salts are recovered by electrodialysis and/or crystallization and recycled to the catalytic reaction.

Alkylene oxide process

A process for making propylene oxide from propylene is disclosed. The process comprises reacting propylene, oxygen, and hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst, a solvent, and a buffer to produce a reaction mixture comprising propylene oxide. Separation of light components from the reaction mixture gives a heavy residue comprising the buffer. The buffer is precipitated from the heavy residue by a precipitating agent.

A process for making propylene oxide from propylene is disclosed. Propylene, hydrogen, and oxygen are reacted in a slurry comprising a catalyst and a solvent to produce a gaseous product stream and a liquid product stream. The gaseous product stream is contacted with an absorbent to produce a gas effluent and a liquid effluent. The gas effluent is recycled to the reaction step.

A process is disclosed for reacting an olefin, hydrogen, and oxygen in a slurry comprising a catalyst and a solvent in a reactor. The gas bubbles in the slurry are in a churn-turbulent flow regime. The process gives improved yield and operational and maintenance advantages.

Direct epoxidation process

A process is disclosed for reacting an olefin, hydrogen, and oxygen in a slurry comprising a catalyst and a solvent in a reactor having a column and at least one side arm. The column is operated in a churn-turbulent flow regime. The slurry is circulated through the side arm, filtered, and exits the reactor.

In accordance with the invention, propylene oxide is formed by reaction of propylene and hydrogen peroxide or by reaction of propylene, oxygen and hydrogen in methanol solvent, methanol and methyl formate are separated from propylene oxide by extractive distillation wherein the aqueous bottoms from methanol recovery distillation is used as extractive distillation solvent after first having been neutralized.

Propylene oxide purification and recovery

A process for absorbing propylene from a gaseous propylene oxide process purge stream wherein propane liquid is used to absorb the propylene.

Vent recovery system

Propylene is converted to propylene oxide in a highly efficient liquid phase process wherein temperature and pressure are both increased over the course of the epoxidation, which is preferably conducted in a continuous mode of operation. The catalyst used is a heterogeneous catalyst such as titanium silicalite or titania-on-silica. The oxidizing agent is an active oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide or an organic hydroperoxide. When the desired yield of propylene oxide can no longer be maintained, the catalyst is replaced or regenerated. Regeneration by washing the catalyst with a hot solvent containing a source of ammonium or alkali metal cations is highly effective, especially where the catalyst is a titanium-containing zeolite.

High efficiency epoxidation process

Mixtures of allyl alcohol and n-propanol are separated by extractive distillation using propylene carbonate, N-methyl pyrrolidone or gamma-butyrolactone extractive distillation solvent.

Growing community of inventors

West Chester, PA, United States of America

Te Chang