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US4061659A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Process for the production of ethylene oxide

Assignee: Shell USA Inc
•
Filing: 1976-06-28
•
Granted: 1977-12-06
•
Expires: 1996-06-28
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Abstract

Abstract An improved process for the production of ethylene oxide by catalytic oxidation of ethylene is disclosed wherein reactant ethylene and an oxygen-containing gas are passed through a reaction zone containing a fixed catalyst bed comprising a supported silver catalyst, optionally diluted with an inert refractory particulate, at ethylene oxide forming conditions and the reaction product formed thereby is passed through a cooling zone adjacent to the reaction zone which is filled with an inert refractory particulate, whereby at least partial cooling of the reaction product is effected. In this improved process, the isomerization of ethylene oxide product to acetaldehyde and concomitant yield losses of ethylene oxide are substantially reduced by the use of an inert refractory particulate material having a surface area of 0.1 m 2 /g or less in the cooling zone and, optionally, as an inert diluent in the catalyst bed of the reaction zone.

Inventors

  • 👤 Robert P. Nielsen
  • 👤 Peter A. Kilty

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 07:03
CPC Classifications
C; C07; C07D; C07D301/00; C07D301/02; C07D301/03; C07D301/04; C07D301/08; C07D301/10; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P20/00; Y02P20/50; Y02P20/52

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 94 words
In a process for the production of ethylene oxide by catalytic oxidation of ethylene wherein ethylene and an oxygen-containing gas are passed through a reaction zone containing a fixed catalyst bed comprising a supported silver catalyst, at ethylene oxide forming conditions and the reaction product formed thereby is passed through a cooling zone adjacent to the reaction zone, said cooling zone being filled with an inert refractory particulate material; the improvement which comprises, employing an inert refractory particulate material having a surface area of 0.1 m 2 /g or less in the cooling zone.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 94 words
In a process for the production of ethylene oxide by catalytic oxidation of ethylene wherein ethylene and an oxygen-containing gas are passed through a reaction zone containing a fixed catalyst bed comprising a supported silver catalyst, at ethylene oxide forming conditions and the reaction product formed thereby is passed through a cooling zone adjacent to the reaction zone, said cooling zone being filled with an inert refractory particulate material; the improvement which comprises, employing an inert refractory particulate material having a surface area of 0.1 m 2 /g or less in the cooling zone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 38 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the supported silver catalyst in the fixed bed of the reaction zone is diluted with an inert refractory particulate material having a surface area of 0.1 m 2 /g or less.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 23 words
The process according to claim 1, wherein the reaction product is cooled to a temperature below about 200° C in the cooling zone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 23 words
The process according to claim 3, wherein the reaction product is cooled to a temperature below about 150° C in the cooling zone.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 26 words
The process according to claim 4, wherein the inert refractory particulate material is selected from the class consisting of silica-alumina, alumina, silicon carbide and glass-type materials.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 22 words
The process according to claim 5, wherein the inert refractory particulate material has a surface area below about 0.05 m 2 /g.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 14 words
The process according to claim 6, wherein the inert refractory particulate is a silica-alumina.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process according to claim 3, wherein the cooling zone comprises the downstream end portion of a tubular reaction zone.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 27 words
The process according to claim 8, wherein the cooling zone makes up about 1 to 15% of the total catalyst bed length in the tubular reaction zone.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

AU211242B2 Cited
US3207700A Cited
US3725307A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1980-12-05 1981-06-06 1981-12-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1984-12-05 1985-06-06 1985-12-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1988-12-05 1989-06-06 1989-12-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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