The present invention provides a catalyst effective in the oxidative conversion of ethylene to ethylene oxide, comprising an alumina support and 20 to 45%by weight of the catalyst, of silver applied to the support, the catalyst meeting the following limitations (i) to (v): (i) an amount of cesium c(Cs) in mmol per Kg of catalyst of at least 2; (ii) an amount of rhenium c(Re) in mmol per Kg of catalyst of at least 3.0; (iii) an amount of tungsten c(W) in mmol per Kg of catalyst of at least 1.6; (iv) a silicon to alkaline earth metal molar ratio x of not higher than 1.80; (v) c(Cs)c(Re)c(W)4.Math.x0.5.

A method for process monitoring and control of a chemical reactor in which a chemical reaction utilizing a halogenated selectivity modifier is performed includes: measuring a level of halogenated components in an inlet stream of a reactor inlet; measuring a level of halogenated components in an outlet stream of a reactor outlet; based on the level of halogenated components at the inlet stream and the outlet stream, determining a process performance indicator associated with a halogenated component; and adjusting an amount of halogenated selectivity modifier added to the reactor based on the process performance indicator.

A method for process monitoring and control of a chemical reactor in which a chemical reaction utilizing a halogenated selectivity modifier is performed includes: measuring a level of halogenated components in an inlet stream of a reactor inlet; measuring a level of halogenated components in an outlet stream of a reactor outlet; based on the level of halogenated components at the inlet stream and the outlet stream, determining a process performance indicator associated with a halogenated component; and adjusting an amount of halogenated selectivity modifier added to the reactor based on the process performance indicator.

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 S/cm; upon determining that the outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed has a conductivity greater than about 5 S/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 S/cm, redirecting the introduction of the aqueous stream to the second ion exchange treatment bed and regenerating the first ion exchange bed.

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 S/cm; upon determining that the outlet of the first ion exchange treatment bed has a conductivity greater than about 5 S/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 S/cm, redirecting the introduction of the aqueous stream to the second ion exchange treatment bed and regenerating the first ion exchange bed.

According to the present invention, there is provided means for suppressing the occurrence of corrosion on the inner tube side in a heat exchanger and enabling continuous production for a long time period in a process for producing ethylene oxide. An embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for producing ethylene oxide, the method including: supplying a raw material gas including ethylene, molecular oxygen, and a chlorine compound to an ethylene oxidation reactor; subjecting ethylene and molecular oxygen in the raw material gas to catalytic vapor phase oxidation in the ethylene oxidation reactor in the presence of a silver catalyst, and thereby producing a gas including ethylene oxide, water, and a chlorine compound; and cooling a gas to be cooled including water and the chlorine compound using a heat exchanger. According to this method, in the heat exchanger, the gas to be cooled including water to be cooled and a chlorine compound is cooled at a linear gas velocity on the heat exchanger inner tube side of 7 m/s or higher.

According to the present invention, there is provided means for suppressing the occurrence of corrosion on the inner tube side in a heat exchanger and enabling continuous production for a long time period in a process for producing ethylene oxide. An embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for producing ethylene oxide, the method including: supplying a raw material gas including ethylene, molecular oxygen, and a chlorine compound to an ethylene oxidation reactor; subjecting ethylene and molecular oxygen in the raw material gas to catalytic vapor phase oxidation in the ethylene oxidation reactor in the presence of a silver catalyst, and thereby producing a gas including ethylene oxide, water, and a chlorine compound; and cooling a gas to be cooled including water and the chlorine compound using a heat exchanger. According to this method, in the heat exchanger, the gas to be cooled including water to be cooled and a chlorine compound is cooled at a linear gas velocity on the heat exchanger inner tube side of 7 m/s or higher.

Epoxidation methods and catalyst are described herein. The epoxidation catalysts generally include a metal component including silver and a support material including kaolinite, wherein the epoxidation catalyst includes less than 55 wt. % metal component.

Epoxidation methods and catalyst are described herein. The epoxidation catalysts generally include a metal component including silver and a support material including kaolinite, wherein the epoxidation catalyst includes less than 55 wt. % metal component.

A process for preparing a silver-containing catalyst for the selective oxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide including the steps of: (a) providing a multimodal support, (b) preparing an impregnation solution comprising a silver component, (c) impregnating, at least once, the multimodal support of step (a) with the silver-containing impregnation solution of step (b) to form an impregnated support; (d) subjecting the impregnated multimodal support from step (c) to a removal means, such as a centrifuge, at least once, for a time sufficient to remove impregnated silver impregnation solution from the multimodal support and to control the amount of silver in the pores of the multimodal support by selectively removing impregnated silver impregnation solution from a set of larger pores in the multimodal support; (e) roasting, at least once, the multimodal support after the step (d); (f) optionally, repeating the impregnation step (c), (g) optionally, repeating the centrifugation step (d), and (h) optionally, repeating the calcination step (e).