	US 11,919,840 B2
	Methods for operating continuous, unmodulated, multiple catalytic step processes
Ray Chrisman, Midland, MI (US); Donald Bunning, South Charleston, WV (US); Mark Nunley, Charleston, WV (US); Brooke Albin, Charleston, WV (US); Michael Bradford, Charleston, WV (US); David James Schreck, Lake City, MN (US); and Louis A. Kapicak, Cross Lanes, WV (US)
Assigned to T.EN Process Technology, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed by T.EN Process Technology, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Sep. 24, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/031,009.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/905,068, filed on Sep. 24, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0087127 A1, Mar. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. C07C 29/132 (2006.01); B01J 19/00 (2006.01); B01J 19/24 (2006.01); B01J 23/30 (2006.01); C07C 29/17 (2006.01); C07C 31/20 (2006.01)

CPC C07C 29/132 (2013.01) [B01J 19/0033 (2013.01); B01J 19/004 (2013.01); B01J 19/245 (2013.01); B01J 23/30 (2013.01); C07C 29/172 (2013.01); B01J 2219/00033 (2013.01); B01J 2219/0004 (2013.01); B01J 2219/00243 (2013.01); B01J 2523/69 (2013.01); C07C 31/202 (2013.01)]

18 Claims

1. A model predictive control method for operating a continuous, unmodulated, sequential, multi-catalytic reaction process wherein each catalyst is subject to changes in performance in the course of the process, the catalytic reaction process comprising:

(i) continuously or intermittently introducing at a feed rate at least one raw material, and optionally a tracer precursor, into a reaction zone containing a medium, wherein the medium is a liquid medium, and wherein the at least one raw material includes a carbohydrate and the tracer precursor is a ketone of 3 to 10 carbons,

(ii) maintaining the reaction zone under catalytic conversion conditions suitable for a first catalytic conversion to produce a medium containing an intermediate, said conditions including temperature, pressure, residence time, concentration of the first catalyst providing catalytically active species, and, optionally, pH and adjuvants,

(iii) contacting the medium containing the intermediate with a second catalyst providing catalytically active species under conditions suitable for the other conversion to produce a chemical product, said conditions including temperature, pressure, residence time, concentration of the second catalyst, and, optionally, pH and adjuvants, wherein the chemical product is at least and the tracer precursor is a ketone of 3 to 10 carbons; and

(iv) continuously or intermittently withdrawing medium containing the chemical product from contact with the second catalyst at a rate to provide a continuous process;

wherein at least one byproduct is produced, and wherein the catalytic activity of at least one of the first catalyst and second catalyst is subject to performance change during the continuous operation,

said control method comprising:

(a) continuously or intermittently inputting predetermined process parameters from the process operation into a model predictive control apparatus having a control model;

(b) adjusting, as necessary to meet a desired process objective, manipulative inputs to the process; and, optionally

wherein:

(A) in element (a) the predetermined process parameters inputted comprise (I) the rate and concentration of feed of raw material in step (i) and the conversion efficiency of the raw material to the chemical product and (II) at least one of concentration of at least one:

by-product in the withdrawn medium,

concentration of intermediate in the withdrawn medium and

concentration of at least one tracer in the withdrawn medium

to reflect in control model data pertaining to the performances of the catalysts; and

(B) in element (b) adjusting, as necessary to meet a desired process objective, at least one of: (I) the absolute amount of catalytically active species and relative amounts of each of the first catalyst and second catalyst, and (II) at least one of the rate of feed of the raw material and its concentration to the reaction zone as manipulative inputs.