The present invention relates to a method for the reactivation of homogeneous catalyst systems from organic reaction mixtures. The catalyst systems are suitable for the oxidation of organic compounds such as, for example, cyclododecene. The reactivation is carried out using an aqueous base.

A process is presented where a feed stream containing a hydrogen sulfide and another feed component is introduced into an absorber that the feed stream flows upward from the bottom of the absorber and contacts a liquid treatment solution, where the liquid treatment solution contains a sulfur dye catalyst. The hydrogen sulfide is absorbed into the liquid treatment solution and converted into sulfide ions. The other feed component is removed from the absorber vessel substantially free of the hydrogen sulfide and a spent treatment solution is also removed from the absorber vessel and fed to an oxidation vessel where it is contacted with an oxygen containing gas causing the sulfide ions to oxidize to thiosulfate and converting the spent sulfur dye catalyst to regenerated sulfur dye catalyst. The thiosulfate is recovered, and the regenerated sulfur dye catalyst can be recycled as part of the liquid treatment solution.

A process is presented where a feed stream containing a hydrogen sulfide and another feed component is introduced into an absorber that the feed stream flows upward from the bottom of the absorber and contacts a liquid treatment solution, where the liquid treatment solution contains a sulfur dye catalyst. The hydrogen sulfide is absorbed into the liquid treatment solution and converted into sulfide ions. The other feed component is removed from the absorber vessel substantially free of the hydrogen sulfide and a spent treatment solution is also removed from the absorber vessel and fed to an oxidation vessel where it is contacted with an oxygen containing gas causing the sulfide ions to oxidize to thiosulfate and converting the spent sulfur dye catalyst to regenerated sulfur dye catalyst. The thiosulfate is recovered, and the regenerated sulfur dye catalyst can be recycled as part of the liquid treatment solution.

A method of reducing impurities in a catalyst for the production of purified terephthalic acid includes forming purified terephthalic acid by hydrogenating crude terephthalic acid with a catalyst in a reactor; separating the purified terephthalic acid from the catalyst and reactivating the catalyst by washing with a caustic solution; and flushing the catalyst contaminated with impurities with a non-caustic liquid at a flushing temperature of greater than or equal to 50 C.

A method of reducing impurities in a catalyst for the production of purified terephthalic acid includes forming purified terephthalic acid by hydrogenating crude terephthalic acid with a catalyst in a reactor; separating the purified terephthalic acid from the catalyst and reactivating the catalyst by washing with a caustic solution; and flushing the catalyst contaminated with impurities with a non-caustic liquid at a flushing temperature of greater than or equal to 50 C.

The invention relates to a process for the production of ethylene glycol including the steps of:

(i) reacting, in a reactor, at a temperature in the range from equal to or more than 170 C. to equal to or less than 270 C., at least a portion of a carbohydrate source in the presence of hydrogen, a solvent, a homogeneous catalyst, which homogeneous catalyst contains tungsten, and a heterogeneous catalyst, which heterogeneous catalyst contains one or more transition metals from groups 8, 9 and 10 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, yielding ethylene glycol and a spent heterogeneous catalyst;

(ii) regenerating the spent heterogeneous catalyst by removing at least a portion of deposited tungsten species from the spent heterogeneous catalyst, yielding a regenerated heterogeneous catalyst; and

(iii) using at least a portion of the regenerated heterogeneous catalyst as heterogeneous catalyst in the reaction of step (i).

The invention further relates to a regenerated heterogeneous catalyst composition obtainable therein.

A combustion system operated at low cost is provided. A combustion system 1 includes a combustion device 10 that burns fuel, an exhaust line L1 through which exhaust gas flows, the exhaust gas being generated through combustion of the fuel in the combustion device 10, an air preheater 30 that is disposed in the exhaust line L1 and that recovers heat from the exhaust gas, and a denitration device 40 that is disposed in the exhaust line L1 and that removes nitrogen oxide from the exhaust gas using a denitration catalyst. The denitration device 40 is disposed downstream from the air preheater 30 in the exhaust line L1, and the denitration catalyst contains 43 wt % or more of vanadium pentoxide and has a BET specific surface area of 30 m.sup.2/g or more.

A combustion system operated at low cost is provided. A combustion system 1 includes a combustion device 10 that burns fuel, an exhaust line L1 through which exhaust gas flows, the exhaust gas being generated through combustion of the fuel in the combustion device 10, an air preheater 30 that is disposed in the exhaust line L1 and that recovers heat from the exhaust gas, and a denitration device 40 that is disposed in the exhaust line L1 and that removes nitrogen oxide from the exhaust gas using a denitration catalyst. The denitration device 40 is disposed downstream from the air preheater 30 in the exhaust line L1, and the denitration catalyst contains 43 wt % or more of vanadium pentoxide and has a BET specific surface area of 30 m.sup.2/g or more.

There is provided a method for recycling a catalyst that exhibits a high denitration efficiency at a relatively low temperature and does not cause oxidation of SO.sub.2 in a selective catalytic reduction reaction that uses ammonia as a reducing agent. A method for recycling a denitration catalyst includes a step of spraying an aqueous solution with a pH of 7 or more onto a used denitration catalyst while the denitration catalyst is set in a denitration device to remove a surface of the denitration catalyst. The denitration catalyst contains 43 wt % or more of vanadium pentoxide and has a BET specific surface area of 30 m.sup.2/g or more. The denitration catalyst after recycling is used for denitration at 200 C. or lower.

There is provided a method for recycling a catalyst that exhibits a high denitration efficiency at a relatively low temperature and does not cause oxidation of SO.sub.2 in a selective catalytic reduction reaction that uses ammonia as a reducing agent. A method for recycling a denitration catalyst includes a step of spraying an aqueous solution with a pH of 7 or more onto a used denitration catalyst while the denitration catalyst is set in a denitration device to remove a surface of the denitration catalyst. The denitration catalyst contains 43 wt % or more of vanadium pentoxide and has a BET specific surface area of 30 m.sup.2/g or more. The denitration catalyst after recycling is used for denitration at 200 C. or lower.