GB392289A - Improvements relating to the manufacture of ethyl alcohol - Google Patents

Abstract

Ethyl alcohol is produced by passing a mixture of ethylene and steam over a catalyst comprising phosphoric acid and uranium, iron or cobalt or compounds of these metals decomposable by phosphoric acid, the amount of phosphoric acid being greater than that corresponding with the orthophosphate, but not more than 95 per cent of the catalyst. The catalyst may be used in granules or tablets, and may be supported upon or mixed with inert but not siliceous carriers which may be impregnated with the catalyst in liquid form and used with or without drying. If the catalyst is liquid under the conditions of operation, the reaction mixture may be passed through the catalyst. The process may be carried out at 100-300 DEG C. at atmosphere pressure or pressures up to 250 atmospheres. Examples describe the use of catalysts comprising fom FeO.2H3PO4 to FeO.3H3PO4 (prepared from ferrous oxalate and phosphoric acid and dried at 200 DEG C.). CoO.2,5H3PO4, and uranyl phosphate containing 2,5 molecules of phosphoric acid per atom or uranium (made from an aqueous suspension of uranyl oxalate and phosphoric acid and dried at 200 DEG C.). Specification 292,685 is referred to.ALSO:Catalysts for the production of ethyl alcohol from ethylene and steam comprise from FeO,2H3PO4 to FeO,3H3PO4 (prepared from ferrous oxalate and phosphoric acid and dried at 200 DEG C.), CoO, 2,5H3PO4, and uranyl phosphate containing 2,5 molecules of phosphoric acid per atom of uranium (made from an aqueous suspension of uranyl oxalate and phosphoric acid, and dried at 200 DEG C).