The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 02, 2007
Filed:
Oct. 01, 2003
John Frederick Knifton, Houston, TX (US);
Talmadge Gail James, Houston, TX (US);
Paul Richard Weider, Houston, TX (US);
Joseph Broun Powell, Houston, TX (US);
Edward Lewis Nielsen, Houston, TX (US);
Glenn Charles Komplin, Houston, TX (US);
John Frederick Knifton, Houston, TX (US);
Talmadge Gail James, Houston, TX (US);
Paul Richard Weider, Houston, TX (US);
Joseph Broun Powell, Houston, TX (US);
Edward Lewis Nielsen, Houston, TX (US);
Glenn Charles Komplin, Houston, TX (US);
Shell Oil Company, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
The present invention is an improvement upon the process for the production of 1,3-propanediol wherein an aqueous solution of 3-hydroxy propanal is formed, catalyst, if any, used in said formation is removed from the solution, sodium hydroxide is added to the solution to neutralize any acid therein such that the pH is at least about 5, the neutralized aqueous solution is subjected to hydrogenation to produce a crude 1,3-propanediol mixture which is distilled to produce 1,3-propanediol, water, and reactive heavy components. The improvement on this process comprises replacing the sodium hydroxide with a hydroxide selected from the group consisting of ammonium hydroxide, alkali metal hydroxides other than sodium hydroxide, and alkaline earth metal hydroxides to reduce the viscosity of the reactive heavy components.