GEOMETRICALLY SIZED SOLID SHAPED CARRIER FOR OLEFIN EPOXIDATION CATALYST

• US 20090227820A1
• Filed: 03/10/2008
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SD Lizenzverwertungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: SD Lizenzverwertungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Sachs, Howard, Pak, Serguei, Rokicki, Andrzej
• Granted Patent: US 7,910,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 568/956
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/50 Silver
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/66 Silver or gold
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/683 with chromium, molybdenum or tungsten
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/688 with manganese, technetium or rhenium
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/40 characterised by dimensions, e.g. grain size in a colloidal state B01J35/23; crystallite size B01J35/77
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/50 characterised by their shape or configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/612 less than 10 m2/g
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/633 less than 0.5 ml/g
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/635 0.5-1.0 ml/g
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/0201 Impregnation
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/0207 Pretreatment of the support
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 301/08 in the gaseous phase

Abstract

A geometrically shaped solid carrier is provided that improves the performance and effectiveness of an olefin epoxidation catalyst for epoxidizing an olefin to an olefin oxide. In particular, improved performance and effectiveness of an olefin epoxidation catalyst is achieved by utilizing a geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier in which at least one wall thickness of said carrier is less than 2.5 mm.

Claims

1. A carrier for a catalytic system including at least one catalytically active metal disposed thereon comprising:

a geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier in which at least one wall thickness of said geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier is less than 2.5 mm.

2. The carrier of claim 1 wherein said at least one wall thickness is less than 2.0 mm.

3. The carrier of claim 1 wherein said at least one wall thickness is less than 1.5 mm.

4. The carrier of claim 1 wherein said geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier comprises hollow cylinders, three-holes, wagon wheels, cross-partitioned hollow cylinders or honeycombs.

5. The carrier of claim 1 wherein the geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier comprises aluminum oxide, charcoal, pumice, magnesia, zirconia, titania, kieselguhr, fuller'"'"'s earth, silicon carbide, silica, silicon dioxide, magnesia, clays, artificial zeolites, natural zeolites, ceramics or combination thereof.

6. The carrier of claim 1 wherein said geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier is aluminum oxide having a purity of about 90% or more.

7. The carrier of claim 1 wherein said geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier has a total pore volume from about 0.2 ml/g to about 0.6 ml/g.

8. The carrier of claim 7 wherein said geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier further includes at least one of the following characteristics:

(i) a surface area from about 0.3 to about 3.0 m²/g;

(ii) at least 40% of the pore volume from pores with diameters between 1 and 5 micrometers;

(iii) a pore size distribution between 1 and 5 micrometers;

(iv) a pore volume from pores with a diameter of 5 micrometers and above less than 0.20 ml/g; and

(v) a pore volume from pores with a diameter smaller than 1 micrometer less than 0.20 ml/g.

13. The catalyst of claim 1 wherein said geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier comprises hollow cylinders, three-holes, wagon wheels, cross-partitioned hollow cylinders or honeycombs.

9. A carrier for a catalytic system including at least one catalytically active metal disposed thereon comprising:

a geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier in which at least one wall thickness of said geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier is less than 2.5 mm, said carrier comprises aluminum oxide having a total pore volume from about 0.2 ml/g to about 0.6 ml/g, a surface area from about 0.3 to about 3.0 m²/g, at least 40% of the pore volume from pores with diameters between 1 and 5 micrometers, a pore size distribution between 1 and 5 micrometers, a pore volume from pores with a diameter of 5 micrometers and above less than 0.20 ml/g, and a pore volume from pores with a diameter smaller than 1 micrometer less than 0.20 ml/g.

10. A catalyst useful for the epoxidation of an olefin comprising:

a geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier in which at least one wall thickness of said carrier is less than 2.5 nm; and

a catalytically effective amount of silver disposed thereon.

11. The catalyst of claim 10 wherein said at least one wall thickness is less than 2.0 mm.

12. The catalyst of claim 10 wherein said at least one wall thickness is less than 1.5 mm.

14. The catalyst of claim 10 wherein the geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier comprises aluminum oxide, charcoal, pumice, magnesia, zirconia, titania, kieselguhr, fuller'"'"'s earth, silicon carbide, silica, silicon dioxide, magnesia, clays, artificial zeolites, natural zeolites, ceramics or combination thereof.

15. The catalyst of claim 10 wherein said geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier is aluminum oxide having a purity of about 90% or more.

16. The catalyst of claim 10 wherein said geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier has a total pore volume from about 0.2 ml/g to about 0.6 ml/g.

17. The catalyst of claim 16 wherein said geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier further includes at least one of the following characteristics:

(i) a surface area from about 0.3 to about 3.0 m²/g;

(ii) at least 40% of the pore volume from pores with diameters between 1 and 5 micrometers;

(iii) a pore size distribution between 1 and 5 micrometers;

(iv) a pore volume from pores with a diameter of 5 micrometers and above less than 0.20 ml/g; and

(v) a pore volume from pores with a diameter smaller than 1 micrometer less than 0.20 ml/g.

18. The catalyst of claim 10 further comprising a promoting amount of a promoter thereon, the promoter comprising one or more of an alkali metal containing compounds, one or more transition metal containing compounds, one or more sulfur components, one or more fluorine containing components, or combinations thereof.

19. The catalyst of claim 18 wherein the promoter is a transition metal comprises at least one element selected from Groups VB, VIIB, VIIB and VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements.

20. The catalyst of claim 18 wherein the transition metal comprises rhenium, molybdenum, tungsten or combinations thereof.

21. The catalyst of claim 18 wherein the promoter is an alkali metal containing compound comprising lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium or combinations thereof.

22. The catalyst of claim 10 further comprises a promoting amount of rhenium, lithium, cesium, sulfur and optional tungsten disposed on said carrier.

23. A catalyst useful for the epoxidation of an olefin comprising:

a geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier in which at least one wall thickness of said geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier is less than 2.5 mm, said carrier comprises aluminum oxide having a total pore volume from about 0.2 ml/g to about 0.6 ml/g, a surface area from about 0.3 to about 3.0 m²/g, at least 40% of the pore volume from pores with diameters between 1 and 5 micrometers, a pore size distribution between 1 and 5 micrometers, a pore volume from pores with a diameter of 5 micrometers and above less than 0.20 ml/g, and a pore volume from pores with a diameter smaller than 1 micrometer less than 0.20 ml/g; and

an effective amount of silver and a promoting amount of rhenium, lithium, cesium, sulfur and tungsten disposed on said carrier.

24. A process for the oxidation of an olefin to an olefin oxide comprising:

contacting at least one olefin with molecular oxygen in a fixed bed, tubular reactor, in the presence of an olefin oxidation catalyst, said olefin oxidation catalyst comprising a geometrically shaped refractory solid carrier in which at least one wall thickness of said carrier is less than 2.5 mm, and a catalytically effective amount of silver disposed thereon.

25. The process of claim 24 wherein said at least one olefin is ethylene.

26. The process of claim 24 wherein said contacting is conducting in a vapor phase.