Continuous process and apparatus for the efficient conversion of inorganic solid particles

• US 6,903,040 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2002
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Albemarle Netherlands BV (Albemarle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Akzo Nobel N.V. (Nouryon BV)
• Inventors: Sonnemans, Johannes Wilhelmus Maria, Stamires, Dennis, O'Connor, Paul, Laheij, Erik Jeroen
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, CHRISTINA ANN
• Application Number:
  US10/141,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20030003035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 423/625, 423/628, 423/629, 502/355, 502/414, 502/415, 502/60, 502/80, 502/71, 502/232
• US Class Current: 502/60
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/10 employing sonic or ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/1862 placed in series
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/041 Oxides or hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/043 Carbonates or bicarbonates, e.g. limestone, dolomite, aragonite
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/06 comprising oxides or hydroxides of metals not provided for in group B01J20/04
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/10 comprising silica or silicate
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/12 Naturally occurring clays or bleaching earth
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/18 Synthetic zeolitic molecular sieves
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/30 Processes for preparing, regenerating, or reactivating
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 21/04 Alumina
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00033 Continuous processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0004 Processes in series
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00141 Microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/007 Mixed salts
• 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 37/04 Mixing B01J37/0009, B01J37/0018 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 39/38 Type ZSM-5
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 7/02 Aluminium oxide; Aluminium hydroxide; Aluminates
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 7/062 Digestion
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 7/448 using superatmospheric pressure, e.g. hydrothermal conversion of gibbsite into boehmite
• CPC Class Codes: C01G 25/02 : Oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C01G 25/06 : Sulfates
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2002/02 : Amorphous compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2002/04 : Compounds with a limited amount of crystallinty, e.g. as indicated by a crystallinity index
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/61 : Micrometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 micrometer
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/62 : Submicrometer sized, i.e. from 0.1-1 micrometer
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/80 : Particles consisting of a mixture of two or more inorganic phases
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/12 : Surface area
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/14 : Pore volume

Abstract

The invention pertains to a continuous process for the conversion of inorganic solid starting particles which either are amorphous or possess a degree of order into inorganic solid product particles which

• (a) when the starting particles are amorphous, possess a degree of order, or
• (b) when the starting particles possess a degree of order, possess a different order, a different degree of order, or no order,
  which product particles are suitable for use in or as a catalyst, in or as a carrier, or in or as an adsorbent, in which process the starting particles are dispersed in a liquid thus forming a suspension. The suspension flows through at least two separate conversion vessels (3) which are connected in series and the suspension is agitated in each of these vessels (3). The invention furthermore relates to an apparatus suitable for carrying out the process according to the invention. This invention allows the processing of suspension with a high Solids to Liquid Ratio.

Claims

1. A continuous process for the conversion of inorganic solid starting particles which either are amorphous or possess a degree of order into inorganic solid product particles which

(a) when the starting particles are amorphous, possess a degree of order, or

(b) when the starting particles possess a degree of order, possess a different order, a different degree of order, or are amorphous,

which product particles are suitable for use in or as a catalyst, in or as a carrier, or in or as an adsorbent, in which process the starting particles are dispersed in a liquid thus forming a suspension, and said suspension flows through at least two separate and substantially vertical conversion vessels which are connected in series, said suspension being agitated in each of these vessels, and the suspension flows substantially upward through the said vessels and/or the agitation is exerted on the suspension with mainly axial forces.

2. The continuous process of claim 1 wherein the suspension flows through from about three to about five separate conversion vessels.

3. The continuous process of claim 1 wherein the agitation is directed both upward and downward.

4. The continuous process of claim 1 wherein in at least one of the conversion vessels the process conditions differ from those in the other conversion vessel or vessels.

5. The continuous process of claim 4 wherein the process condition is the temperature.

6. The continuous process of claim 4 wherein the process condition is the pH.

7. The continuous process of claim 4 wherein the process conditions are changed by adding seeds and/or additional reactants.

8. The continuous process of claim 4 wherein the process conditions are changed by separating the liquid from and adding new liquid to the particles by way of a solid-liquid separator in between two conversion vessels.

9. The continuous process of claim 4 wherein the process conditions are changed by treating the suspension with ultrasound or microwaves.

10. The continuous process of claim 1 wherein the Solids to Liquid Ratio (SLR) of the suspension is in a range from 0.5 to 1.33.

11. The continuous process of claim 1 wherein the Solids to Liquid Ratio (SLR) of the suspension is in a range from 0.65 to 1.00.

12. The continuous process of claim 1 wherein the starting particles are pre-treated by grinding, milling, extrusion, calcination, flash calcination, flash freezing, treatment with ultrasound, treatment with microwaves or treatment with acid or base.

13. The continuous process of claim 1 wherein the starting particles are sand particles.

14. The continuous process of claim 1 wherein the starting particles comprise sorbent microspheres, catalyst microspheres or catalyst precursor microspheres.

15. The continuous process of claim 1 wherein the starting particles comprise aluminum trihydrate or a thermally treated form thereof.

16. The continuous process of claim 1 wherein the starting particles comprise magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium carbonate or magnesium hydroxy carbonate particles.

17. The continuous process of claim 1 wherein the starting particles comprise zirconia, zircon or baddeleyite.

18. The continuous process of claim 1 wherein the product particles comprise a layered magnesium silicate.

19. The continuous process of claim 1 wherein the product particles comprise anionic clay.

20. The continuous process of claim 1 wherein the product particles comprise micro-crystalline boehmite and/or quasi-crystalline boehmite.

21. The continuous process of claim 1 wherein the product particles comprise a zeolite.

22. The continuous process of claim 21 wherein the zeolite is ZSM-5.

23. The continuous process claim 1 wherein at least one of the starting particles is selected from a spent catalyst, ground brick, cement particles, ground stone, or harbor sludge.