Process for the production of ethylene oxide
US4061659A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 28, 1976 |
| Grant date | Dec 6, 1977 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 28, 1996 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P20/52
- WIPO fieldOrganic fine chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
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.sup.2 /g or less in the cooling zone and, optionally, as an inert diluent in the catalyst bed of the reaction zone.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.