Selective oxidation process and catalyst therefor

• US 6,417,376 B1
• Filed: 09/29/1999
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ABB Lummus Global Inc. (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Lummus Global Inc. (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Ercan, Cemal, Puil, Nelleke Vander, Rylandshom, Pal, Huang, Chiung Y., Barner, Herbert E., Yeh, Chuen Y., Trubac, Robert E., Murrell, Lawrence L., Overbeek, Rudolf A.
• Primary Examiner(s): DENTZ, BERNARD I
• Application Number:
  US09/407,436
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 549/248, 549/534, 568/475, 568/479, 502/209, 502/305, 502/348, 502/350, 562/532
• US Class Current: 549/248
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/58 Fabrics or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 45/33 of CHx-moieties
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 45/34 in unsaturated compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 45/35 in propene or isobutene
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 45/38 being a primary hydroxyl group
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 47/04 Formaldehyde
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 47/22 Acryaldehyde; Methacryaldehyde
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 51/265 having alkyl side chains which are oxidised to carboxyl groups
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 63/16 1,2 - Benzenedicarboxylic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 301/10 with catalysts containing silver or gold

Abstract

A process for selectively oxidizing an organic molecule by reacting said organic molecule and oxygen in the presence of a selective oxidation catalyst supported on a mesh-like structure.

Claims

1. A process for selectively oxidizing an organic molecule, comprising:

selectively oxidizing an organic molecule in a reaction zone by contact with a supported oxidation catalyst on a mesh-like structure, said mesh-like structure comprising a plurality of layers of randomly oriented fibers, said fibers having a diameter of less than 150 microns, said mesh-like structure without the supported catalyst having a void volume of at least 85%, said supported catalyst comprising a selective oxidation catalyst on a particulate support, said particulate support having an average particle size of no greater than 50 microns.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the mesh-like material comprises at least one of a metal or metal oxide.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein the particulate support has an average particle size of no greater than 20 microns.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the mesh-like material is in the form of a shaped structured packing.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the catalyst supported on the particulate support is coated on the mesh-like material.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the selective oxidation is oxidation of an alkene to an alkylene oxide.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the selective oxidation is oxidation of o-xylene to phthalic anhydride.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the selective oxidation is oxidation of propylene to acrolein.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the selective oxidation is oxidation of propane to acrolein.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the selective oxidation is oxidation of acrolein to acrylic acid.

11. The process of claim 6 wherein the particulate support has a surface area greater than 25m²/g.

12. The process of claim 1 wherein, in said reaction zone, said mesh-like structure including the supported catalyst has a void volume of at least 60% and no greater than 95%.

13. The process of claim 1 wherein the selective oxidizing is effected in a tubular reactor, and wherein tubes in said tubular reactor include said supported catalyst on said mesh-like structure.

14. A composition comprising:

a selective oxidation catalyst supported on a particulate support that is supported on a mesh-like structure comprising a plurality of layers of randomly oriented fibers, said fibers having a diameter of less than 150 microns, said particulate support having an average particle size no greater than 50 microns, and said mesh-like material without the supported catalyst, has a void volume of at least 85%.

15. The composition of claim 14 wherein the selective oxidation catalyst comprises silver and said catalyst catalyzes the oxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide.