# US 10,865,189 B2 · Epoxidation process > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,865,189 B2 - Document ID: US10865189B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/511,542 - Filed: 2019-07-15 - Published: 2019-11-07 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-09 - Assignees: Scientific Design Company, Inc. - Applicants: Scientific Design Company, Inc. - Inventors: Shaun McGovern; Mansoor Husain; John Sullivan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865189B2 ## CPC - C07D 301/10: with catalysts containing silver or gold - B01J 8/06: in tube reactors; the solid particles being arranged in tubes - C07C 7/12: by adsorption, i.e. purification or separation of hydrocarbons with the aid of solids, e.g. with ion-exchangers - C07D 301/32: Separation; Purification - B01D 2259/402: using two beds - C07D: HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS (macromolecular compounds C08) - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract A method for the oxidation of ethylene to form ethylene oxide which comprises: providing an aqueous stream containing ethylene glycol and impurities; introducing the aqueous stream in a first ion exchange treatment bed to reduce the content of these impurities; determining whether an outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed has a conductivity greater than about 5 μS/cm; upon determining that the outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed has a conductivity greater than about 5 μS/cm, introducing the outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed into a second ion exchange treatment bed; and upon determining that the outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed has a conductivity greater than about 60 μS/cm, redirecting the introduction of the aqueous stream to the second ion exchange treatment bed and regenerating the first ion exchange bed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for removing impurities, the method comprising: providing an aqueous stream obtained from a stripping column of an ethylene oxide reactor, the aqueous stream containing ethylene glycol and impurities; introducing the aqueous stream into a first ion exchange treatment bed to reduce the content of the impurities; introducing an outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed into a second ion exchange treatment bed to further reduce the content of the impurities, while keeping the first ion exchange treatment bed on-line and working simultaneously with the second ion exchange treatment bed; and redirecting, upon determining whether an outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed has a conductivity greater than about 5 μS/cm, the aqueous stream to the second ion exchange treatment bed and regenerating the first ion exchange bed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the impurities are selected from long chain esters, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, glycolaldehyde and their associated acids and ions, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous stream comprises 0.2 to 20 wt % ethylene glycol. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising the aqueous stream to a glycol purification section. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first ion exchange treatment bed is operated at a temperature from about 30° C. to about 50° C. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second ion exchange treatment beds contain resins selected from the group consisting of cationic exchange resins, anionic exchange resins, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the regenerating comprises contacting the first ion exchange bed with a regenerant selected from potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid, and sulfuric acid. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising initiating an epoxidation reaction by reacting a feed gas composition containing ethylene and oxygen in the presence of an epoxidation catalyst comprising a promoting amount of rhenium, wherein the initiating is performed prior to the providing of the aqueous stream. ### Claim 9 A method for removing impurities, the method comprising: providing an aqueous stream obtained from a stripping column of an ethylene oxide reactor, the aqueous stream containing ethylene glycol and impurities; introducing the aqueous stream into a first ion exchange treatment bed and a second ion exchange treatment bed arranged in series to reduce the content of these impurities, wherein the first ion exchange treatment bed is kept on-line and works simultaneously with the second ion exchange treatment bed; and redirecting, upon determining whether an outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed has a conductivity greater than about 5 μS/cm, the aqueous stream to the second ion exchange treatment bed and regenerating the first ion exchange bed. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the impurities are selected from long chain esters, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, glycolaldehyde and their associated acids and ions, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the aqueous stream comprises 0.2 to 20 wt % ethylene glycol. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, further comprises passing the aqueous stream to a glycol purification section. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the first ion exchange treatment bed is operated at a temperature from about 30° C. to about 50° C. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, further comprising initiating an epoxidation reaction by reacting a feed gas composition containing ethylene and oxygen in the presence of an epoxidation catalyst comprising a promoting amount of rhenium, wherein the initiating is performed prior to the providing of the aqueous stream. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the first and second ion exchange treatment beds contain resins selected from the group consisting of cationic exchange resins, anionic exchange resins, and mixtures thereof.