| US 7,501,062 B2 | ||
| Process for permeation enhanced reactive extraction of levulinic acid | ||
| Johannes Leendert Willem Cornelis Den Boestert, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Johannes Pieter Haan, Amsterdam (Netherlands); and Arian Nijmeijer, Amsterdam (Netherlands) | ||
| Assigned to Shell Oil Company, Houston, Tex. (US) | ||
| Filed on Feb. 17, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/357,229. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 05101341 (EP), filed on Feb. 22, 2005. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0201879 A1, Sep. 14, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. B01D 11/04 (2006.01); B01D 61/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 210—638 [210/634; 210/639; 210/651; 560/174; 560/155; 562/577] | 20 Claims |
| 1. A process for permeation enhanced reactive extraction of levulinic acid from a liquid aqueous phase comprising levulinic acid, wherein the levulinic acid from the aqueous phase is brought into contact with a liquid alcohol phase at esterification conditions in the presence of a catalyst at a temperature in the range of from 50 to 250° C., the aqueous phase and the alcohol phase being separated from each other by a membrane, and an aqueous stream depleted in levulinic acid and an alcohol stream comprising ester of levulinic acid are formed. |