US 7,741,501 B2Granted

Process for heterogeneously catalyzed hydrogenation

AssigneeCognis IP Management GmbH

InventorsStephan Wuerkert, Bernhard Gutsche

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Abstract

A process for carrying out heterogeneously catalyzed hydrogenation reactions in a fixed-bed reactor includes providing at least one main reactor containing a first amount of catalyst; providing a first auxiliary reactor and a second auxiliary reactor, each containing a second amount of catalyst, wherein the first amount of catalyst is relatively larger than the second amount of catalyst; passing a starting product of a fatty compound through the first auxiliary reactor and reacting the starting product with hydrogen in the presence of the catalyst; continuing the reaction through the at least one main reactor; and continuing the reaction through the second auxiliary reactor, wherein the first auxiliary reactor is reactivated. Another process provided includes a first and second main reactor, and a first and second auxiliary reactor, where relatively pure and impure starting products of a fatty compound are processed substantially continuously by cyclic switching of the reactors.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A process for carrying out heterogeneously catalyzed hydrogenation reactions in a fixed-bed reactor, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing at least one main reactor containing a first amount of catalyst;
(b) providing a first auxiliary reactor connected in selective fluid communication with said at least one main reactor such that it can be operated up stream or downstream of said main reactor and having contained therein a second amount of catalyst, said first amount of catalyst being relatively larger than said second amount of catalyst;
(c) providing a second auxiliary reactor connected in selective fluid communication with said main reactor such that it can be operated upstream or downstream of said main reactor and having contained therein a third amount of catalyst, wherein the first amount of catalyst is relatively larger than the third amount of catalyst, said second and third amounts being the same or different;
(d) during a first phase of operation of said process,
(i) passing a starting product of a fatty compound through the first auxiliary reactor and reacting the starting product with hydrogen in the presence of the catalyst;
(ii) continuing the reaction through the at least one main reactor to produce a main reactor effluent;
and
(iii) introducing said main reactor effluent into the second auxiliary reactor and continuing the reaction through the second auxiliary reactor;
and
(e) during a second phase of operation of said process,
(i) selectively removing the first auxiliary reactor from fluid communication with the at least first main reactor and reactivating the catalyst in the first auxiliary reactor,
(ii) passing a starting product of a fatty compound through the second auxiliary reactor and reacting the starting product with hydrogen in the presence of the catalyst, and
(iii) continuing the reaction through the at least one main reactor to produce a main reactor effluent.

10 more elements

A process for carrying out heterogeneously catalyzed hydrogenation reactions in a fixed-bed reactor, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing at least a first main reactor and a second main reactor, each containing a first amount of catalyst;
(b) providing a first auxiliary reactor and a second auxiliary reactor, wherein each is connected in selective fluid communication with the first and second main reactors such that the first and second auxiliary reactors can be independently operated upstream or downstream of the first and second main reactors, the first auxiliary reactor having contained therein a second amount of catalyst and the second auxiliary reactor having contained therein a third amount of catalyst, the first amount of catalyst being relatively larger than each of the second amount and third amount of catalyst;
(c) during a first phase of operation of said process,
(i) selectively removing the first main reactor from fluid communication with the first and second auxiliary reactors and reactivating the catalyst in the first main reactor,
(ii) passing a relatively impure starting product of a fatty compound through the first auxiliary reactor wherein the starting product reacts with hydrogen in the presence of the catalyst, and
(iii) continuing the reaction process through the second main reactor and the second auxiliary reactor;
(d) during a second phase of operation of said process,
(i) selectively removing the second main reactor from fluid communication with the first and second auxiliary reactors and reactivating the catalyst in the second main reactor,
(ii) passing the relatively impure starting product through the first auxiliary reactor, and
(iii) continuing the reaction process through the first main reactor and the second auxiliary reactor;
(e) during a third phase of operation of said process,
(i) selectively removing the first auxiliary reactor from fluid communication with the first and second main reactors and reactivating the catalyst in the first auxiliary reactor,
(ii) passing the relatively impure starting product through the second auxiliary reactor, and continuing the reaction process through the first main reactor, and
(iii) passing a relatively pure starting product of a fatty compound through the second main reactor,
(f) during a fourth phase of operation of said process,
(i) selectively removing the first auxiliary reactor from fluid communication with the first main reactor, and selectively removing the second auxiliary reactor from fluid communication with the second main reactor,
(ii) passing the relatively impure starting product through the second auxiliary reactor, and continuing the reaction process through the first main reactor, and
(iii) passing a relatively pure starting product of a fatty compound through the second main reactor, and continuing the reaction process through the first auxiliary reactor;
(g) during a fifth phase of operation of said process,
(i) selectively removing the second auxiliary reactor from fluid communication with the first and second main reactors and reactivating the catalyst in the second auxiliary reactor,
(ii) passing the relatively impure starting product through the first auxiliary reactor, and continuing the reaction process through the first main reactor, and
(iii) passing the relatively pure starting product through the second main reactor;
and
(h) during a sixth phase of operation of said process,
(i) selectively removing the first auxiliary reactor from fluid communication with the second main reactor, and selectively removing the second auxiliary reactor from fluid communication with the first main reactor,
(ii) passing the relatively impure starting product through the first auxiliary reactor, and continuing the reaction through the first main reactor, and
(iii) passing the relatively pure starting product through the second main reactor, and continuing the reaction through the second auxiliary reactor.

24 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/670,228Filed 1 Feb 2007
Priority: DE 10 2006 004 7432 Feb 2006
Published: US 2007/0225527 A127 Sep 2007
Granted: 22 Jun 2010
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

C11C 3/126
By hydrogenation: using catalysts based principally on other metals or derivates
B01J 8/0457
In two or more cylindrical beds: the beds being placed in separate reactors
B01J 8/067
In tube reactors; the solid particles being arranged in tubes: heating or cooling the reactor
B01J 2208/00256
With heat exchange elements outside the bed of solid particles: in a heat exchanger for the heat exchange medium separate from the reactor