In one embodiment, the invention is to a process for producing a denatured ethanol composition comprising the steps of hydrogenating an acetic acid feed in the presence of a catalyst to form a crude ethanol product comprising ethanol, and at least one denaturant and separating the crude ethanol product in one or more separation units into a denatured ethanol composition and one or more derivative streams. The denatured ethanol composition comprises from 0.01 wt. % to 40 wt % denaturant, based on the total weight of the denatured ethanol composition.

Processes for producing denatured ethanol

Processes for producing alcohols such as ethanol and propanol from a mixed acid feedstock in an integrated process. In one embodiment, the process comprises the step of carbonylating methanol in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst to form a mixed acid feedstock comprising acetic acid and one or more higher acids, preferably comprising propionic acid. The mixed acid feed is hydrogenated in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst to form a crude alcohol product comprising ethanol and one or more higher alcohols, preferably including propanol.

Integrated process for producing alcohols from a mixed acid feed

A process is described for producing an alcohol product, in which (a) a first feed composition comprising acetic acid is converted to a product comprising acetone; and (b) a second feed composition comprising at least part of the acetone produced in (a) is hydrogenated in the presence of a catalyst to produce a hydrogenation effluent comprising isopropanol.

Production of alcohols

The paper presents the results of the study of phase equilibrium in the system containing acetone, isopropanol, water, methyl isobutyl ketone, methyl isobutyl carbinol, and diisobutyl ketone. Mathematical modeling in AspenPlus V.10.0 was chosen as a method of studying. Thermodymanic-topological analysis was used to analyze the structure of the VLE diagram. The technique of studying the full composition diagram based only on a two-dimensional scan (determining the presence of a three-dimensional separatric manifold and distillation regions) was presented and demonstrated on the example of five components constituent of the mixture. It is shown that, in some cases, it is sufficient to study the two-dimensional scan of the phase diagram to predict its internal structure. Two separation flowsheets based on the use of direct and sharp distillation were considered, and the operating column parameters corresponding to minimum energy consumption were determined. The sharp distillation was proved to be less energy-intensive.

Separation and Purification of Methyl Isobutyl Ketone from Acetone + Isopropanol + Water + Methyl Isobutyl Ketone + Methyl Isobutyl Carbinol + Diisobutyl Ketone Mixture.

Acetone is a cheap commodity chemical which can be used as an intermediate for the synthesis of numerous chemicals. Coupled with reductive hydrogenation, a multifunctional heterogeneous catalyst is required for the green chemistry of aldol condensation of acetone to produce β-hydroxyketone, enone (α,β-unsaturated ketone), ketone, and saturated and unsaturated alcohol. To that end, we prepared a rhodium nanoparticle-supported (RhNPs) on mesoporous magnesia to conduct a one-step, gas-phase acetone self-condensation. We observed both acetone conversion and selectivity towards either isopropyl alcohol or methyl isobutyl ketone depended on the hydrogen to acetone mole ratio, total flow rate, and reaction temperature. The optimum reaction conditions for a maximum yield of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) or methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) were established. Furthermore, 100 h on stream evidenced the long stability of our synthesized catalyst system for the production of isopropyl alcohol.

Acetone Reaction with Hydrogen over Mesoporous Magnesium Oxide-Supported Rhodium Nanoparticles

A low-pressure one-step gas-phase process for the production and recovery of methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) is disclosed. One-step gas-phase synthesis of MIBK from acetone and hydrogen over nano-Pd/nano-ZnCr 2 O 4 catalyst at atmospheric pressure is used as an example. The said process is designed to recover the additional heat associated with the reactor effluent via heating acetone feed and recycle (mixed acetone) before entering the reactor. A compressor is introduced to the gas-phase process to increase slightly the reactor effluent pressure before this effluent is cooled and fed to a flash drum. The compressed reactor effluent is used to preheat hydrogen feed and recycle (mixed hydrogen) before entering the reactor. The separation scheme of low-pressure one-step gas-phase process comprises of several distillation columns used for MIBK separation and purification.

Low pressure one-step gas-phase process for production of methyl isobutyl ketone

Ruthenium/activated charcoal (Ru/AC) treated with synthesized nano-ZnO (n-ZnO) is used for the first time as a novel composite catalyst in one-step self-condensation of acetone (DMK) to methyl isobutyl ketone in the gas phase The DMK self-condensation was performed under atmospheric pressure, in a tubular glass fixed-bed microreactor, under DMK and H 2 continuous flow at temperature in the range of 523 to 648 K Addition of n-ZnO to Ru/AC resulted in a pronounced increase in the degree of dispersion of Ru and in the acidic/basic sites concentration ratio For the one-step synthesis of MIBK at 623 K, the composite catalyst with 25 wt % Ru loading was an active and selective bi-functional composite catalyst with balanced acid/base and hydrogenation properties At 523 K, isopropyl alcohol, product of DMK-direct hydrogenation, was produced in high selectivity for instantly investigated composite catalyst The catalytic performance depended on the composite catalyst identity, DMK flow rate, H 2 flow rate, and reaction temperature

Synthesizing and utilizing novel ruthenium nanoparticle-activated charcoal-nano-zinc oxide composite catalyst

Isopropyl alcohol is a very useful chemical that is widely used in the industry as a solvent. Economical and easy process to make ispopropyl alcohol using novel composite catalyst is described in the instant application. Production of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) from dimehtyl ketone (DMK) and hydrogen (H 2 ) in gas-phase using a ruthenium nano-particle-supported on activated charcoal/nano-zinc oxide composite catalyst is described. Gas phase production of isopropyl alcohol using DMK and hydrogen is also described using optimal time on stream, temperature, catalyst ratio and DMK/H 2 ratio. Ruthenium nano-zinc oxide composite catalyst is formulated using different ratios of ruthenium activated charcoal and n-ZnO is described. CAT-IV is shown to be the best performer for the efficient production of isopropyl alcohol.

Abdulrahman A Al-Rabiah

Papers

Low pressure one-step gas-phase process for production of methyl isobutyl ketone

Synthesizing and utilizing novel ruthenium nanoparticle-activated charcoal-nano-zinc oxide composite catalyst

Composite catalyst and using the same for making isopropyl alcohol