Heat integration in a process for the preparation of ethylene carbonate and ethylene glycol
US-10815176-B2 · Oct 27, 2020 · US
Process for the preparation of ethylene glycol
US12378175B2 · US · B2
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Publication number | US-12378175-B2 |
| Application number | US-202017775374-A |
| Country | US |
| Kind code | B2 |
| Filing date | Dec 7, 2020 |
| Priority date | Dec 11, 2019 |
| Publication date | Aug 5, 2025 |
| Grant date | Aug 5, 2025 |
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- Title
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Abstract
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The invention relates to a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol, comprising: a) converting a stream comprising ethylene oxide in the presence of a catalyst and carbon dioxide in two or more reactors to a stream comprising ethylene carbonate; and b) converting ethylene carbonate from the stream comprising ethylene carbonate obtained in step a) in the presence of a catalyst in one or more reactors to a stream comprising ethylene glycol and a stream comprising carbon dioxide, wherein the inlet stream or inlet streams to the last reactor of the two or more reactors used in step a) is or are not heated; and wherein an outlet stream comprising ethylene carbonate from the last reactor of the two or more reactors used in step a) is sent, without recycling a portion thereof to the last reactor used in step a), to the first reactor of the one or more reactors wherein step b) is carried out.
First claim
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We claim: 1. Process for the preparation of ethylene glycol, comprising: a) converting a stream comprising ethylene oxide in the presence of a catalyst and carbon dioxide in two or more reactors to a stream comprising ethylene carbonate; and b) converting ethylene carbonate from the stream comprising ethylene carbonate obtained in step a) in the presence of a catalyst in one or more reactors to a stream comprising ethylene glycol and a stream comprising carbon dioxide, wherein an outlet stream from the first reactor of the two or more reactors used in step a) is split, one split sub-stream is sent to the next reactor in series and another split sub-stream is recycled to the first reactor; wherein the inlet stream or inlet streams to at least the last reactor of the two or more reactors used in step a) is or are not heated; and wherein an outlet stream comprising ethylene carbonate from the last reactor of the two or more reactors used in step a) is sent, without recycling a portion thereof to the last reactor used in step a), to the first reactor of the one or more reactors wherein step b) is carried out. 2. Process according to claim 1 , wherein step a) is carried out in two or more reactors connected in series, and the inlet stream or inlet streams to the last reactor of the two or more reactors is or are not heated. 3. Process according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the outlet stream or outlet streams from the first reactor of the two or more reactors used in step a) is or are cooled. 4. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet stream comprising ethylene carbonate from the last reactor of the two or more reactors used in step a) is sent directly, without recycling a portion thereof to the last reactor used in step a), to the first reactor of the one or more reactors wherein step b) is carried out. 5. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the split sub-stream that is recycled to the first reactor used in step a) is cooled before recycling. 6. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the inlet stream or inlet streams to at least one reactor of the two or more reactors used in step a) is or are not cooled. 7. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the inlet stream or inlet streams to the last reactor of the two or more reactors is or are not cooled. 8. Process according to claim 2 , wherein step a) is carried out in two reactors connected in series, and the inlet stream or inlet streams to the last reactor of the two reactors is or are not heated.
Assignees
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Classifications
Ethylene glycol · CPC title
- C07C29/152Primary
characterised by the reactor used · CPC title
- C07C29/12Primary
of esters of mineral acids · CPC title
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Frequently asked questions
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- What does patent US12378175B2 cover?
- The invention relates to a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol, comprising: a) converting a stream comprising ethylene oxide in the presence of a catalyst and carbon dioxide in two or more reactors to a stream comprising ethylene carbonate; and b) converting ethylene carbonate from the stream comprising ethylene carbonate obtained in step a) in the presence of a catalyst in one or mo…
- Who is the assignee on this patent?
- Shell Usa Inc
- What technology area does this patent fall under?
- Primary CPC classification C07C29/152. Mapped technology areas include Chemistry & Metallurgy.
- When was this patent published?
- Publication date Tue Aug 05 2025 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
- What related patents are in patentsdb?
- We list 1 related publication on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).