Ronald B Sheppard

US Patent:

6380352, Apr 30, 2002

Filed:

Mar 20, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/812581

Inventors:

Ronald Buford Sheppard - Kingsport TN

Assignee:

Eastman Chemical Company - Kingsport TN

International Classification:

C08F 600

US Classification:

528480, 528271, 528272

Abstract:

Disclosed is a process for the purification of a polyester precursor wherein a polyester oligomer derived from terephthalic acid and one or more glycols or diols is purified or decolorized by hydrogenating the oligomer to convert colored impurities to colorless compounds and thereby improve the color of the oligomer. The colored impurities are present in the terephthalic acid used to prepare the oligomers and are formed during the manufacture of terephthalic acid. The purified/decolorized oligomer obtained from the disclosed process may be used to prepare high molecular weight polyesters.

US Patent:

7196215, Mar 27, 2007

Filed:

May 31, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/161571

Inventors:

Robert Lin - Kingsport TN, US
Ruairi Seosamh O'Meadhra - Kingsport TN, US
Ronald Buford Sheppard - Kingsport TN, US

Assignee:

Eastman Chemical Company - Kingsport TN

International Classification:

C07C 51/42
C07C 51/255
C07C 309/00

US Classification:

562486, 562485, 562487, 562417, 562416, 562 77

Abstract:

Disclosed is a process for the production of terephthalic acid by a plurality of process steps including the catalyst oxidation of a dialkylbenzene compound, a second oxidation, a hydrogenation of the product of the second oxidation, and crystallization of the hydrogenation terephthalic acid using a plurality of series-connected crystallizers.

US Patent:

7326808, Feb 5, 2008

Filed:

Mar 1, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/365929

Inventors:

Alan George Wonders - Kingsport TN, US
Ronald Buford Sheppard - Kingsport TN, US
Martin De Boer - Borendrecht, NL
Lee Reynolds Partin - Kingsport TN, US
Raymond Elbert Fogle - Johnson City TN, US

Assignee:

Eastman Chemical Company - Kingsport TN

International Classification:

C07C 51/16
C07C 61/00

US Classification:

562410, 562400

Abstract:

Disclosed is an optimized system for more efficiently and economically producing terephthalic acid. A solvent purification system is employed to remove of at least one aromatic impurity present in a solvent purification feed. At least about 20 weight percent of the solvent purification feed originates from a cooled, post-digestion, TPA-containing slurry.

US Patent:

7355068, Apr 8, 2008

Filed:

Mar 1, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/365350

Inventors:

Alan George Wonders - Kingsport TN, US
Thomas Earl Woodruff - Kingsport TN, US
Ronald Buford Sheppard - Kingsport TN, US
Wayne Scott Strasser - Kingsport TN, US

Assignee:

Eastman Chemical Company - Kingsport TN

International Classification:

C07C 51/16

US Classification:

562413, 562414, 562415, 562416

Abstract:

Disclosed is an optimized process and apparatus for more efficiently and economically carrying out the liquid-phase oxidation of an oxidizable compound. Such liquid-phase oxidation is carried out in a bubble column reactor that provides for a highly efficient reaction at relatively low temperatures. When the oxidized compound is para-xylene and the product from the oxidation reaction is crude terephthalic acid (CTA), such CTA product can be purified and separated by more economical techniques than could be employed if the CTA were formed by a conventional high-temperature oxidation process.

US Patent:

7358389, Apr 15, 2008

Filed:

Mar 1, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/365461

Inventors:

Alan George Wonders - Kingsport TN, US
Thomas Earl Woodruff - Kingsport TN, US
Ronald Buford Sheppard - Kingsport TN, US
Wayne Scott Strasser - Kingsport TN, US

Assignee:

Eastman Chemical Company - Kingsport TN

International Classification:

C07C 51/16

US Classification:

562413, 562414, 562415, 562416

Abstract:

Disclosed is an optimized process and apparatus for more efficiently and economically carrying out the liquid-phase oxidation of an oxidizable compound. Such liquid-phase oxidation is carried out in a bubble column reactor that provides for a highly efficient reaction at relatively low temperatures. When the oxidized compound is para-xylene and the product from the oxidation reaction is crude terephthalic acid (CTA), such CTA product can be purified and separated by more economical techniques than could be employed if the CTA were formed by a conventional high-temperature oxidation process.

US Patent:

7358392, Apr 15, 2008

Filed:

Feb 2, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/346393

Inventors:

Ronald Buford Sheppard - Kingsport TN, US
Brent Alan Tennant - Kingsport TN, US
Thomas Earl Woodruff - Kingsport TN, US
Robert Lin - Kingsport TN, US
Ruairi Seosamh O'Meadhra - Kingsport TN, US

Assignee:

Eastman Chemical Company - Kingsport TN

International Classification:

C07C 51/42
C07C 51/255

US Classification:

562486, 562416, 562487

Abstract:

Disclosed is a process to produce a purified carboxylic acid slurry. The process comprises removing impurities from a crystallized product in a solid liquid displacement zone to form the purified carboxylic acid slurry. The process produces purified carboxylic acid slurry having good color and low impurity levels without the use of purification steps like hydrogenation or an impurity removal process.

US Patent:

7420082, Sep 2, 2008

Filed:

Mar 1, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/365258

Inventors:

Alan George Wonders - Kingsport TN, US
Ronald Buford Sheppard - Kingsport TN, US
Martin De Boer - Barendrecht, NL

Assignee:

Eastman Chemical Company - Kingsport TN

International Classification:

C07C 61/00
C07C 51/23

US Classification:

562400, 562420

Abstract:

Disclosed is an optimized system for more efficiently and economically producing terephthalic acid. The system includes an optimized post-digestion cooling stage that provides a TPA product having enhanced purity, while minimizing costs associated with removing impurities from recycled solvent.

US Patent:

7432395, Oct 7, 2008

Filed:

Mar 1, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/365256

Inventors:

Philip Edward Gibson - Kingsport TN, US
Kenny Randolph Parker - Afton TN, US
Ronald Buford Sheppard - Kingsport TN, US

Assignee:

Eastman Chemical Company - Kingsport TN

International Classification:

C07C 51/42

US Classification:

562485

Abstract:

A process is provided for producing an enriched carboxylic acid compositions produced by contacting composition comprising a carboxylic acid with an enrichment feed in an enrichment zone to form an enriched carboxylic acid composition. This invention also relates to a process and the resulting compositions for removing catalyst from a carboxylic acid composition to produce a post catalyst removal composition.