PROCESS FOR OPERATING THE EPOXIDATION OF ETHYLENE WITH SUPPORTED SILVER CATALYSTS

摘要

A process for the vapor phase oxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide, whichprocess comprises reacting a reaction mixture comprising ethylene and oxygenin the presence of a supported highly selective silver-based catalyst by:operating at an initial operation phase wherein fresh catalyst is used, andoperating at a further operation phase when a cumulative ethylene oxideproduction exceeds 0.01 kT ethylene oxide per m3 of catalyst, wherein in saidfurther operation phase the concentration of ethylene in the reaction mixtureis increased; and a method of using ethylene oxide for making 1,2-ethanediolor a corresponding 1,2-ethanediol ether comprising converting the ethyleneoxide into the 1,2-ethanediol or the 1,2-ethanediol ether wherein the ethyleneoxide has been obtained by the process for the production of ethylene oxide.