Multi-functional catalytic distillation structure

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Briefly, the present invention comprises utilization of more than one different catalyst component in a catalytic distillation structure.
Each catalytic distillation structure containing (1) a solid catalytic material comprising at least two different catalyst components and (2) a structural element.
The central feature of the present invention is the presence of at least two different catalysts within the catalytic distillation structure.
The catalyst may be functionally different, i.
e.
, a resin etherification catalyst and a alumina supported metal hydrogenation catalyst; or the catalysts may be functionally the same, but chemically different, i.
e.
, a resin etherification catalyst and a zeolite etherification catalyst or different species of the same root catalyst, such as a sulfonated resin and a halogen containing sulfonated resin.
It is not known that there has ever been a proposal to use the related species catalyst in admixture.
It is known that the practice in the art and industry is to use them separately.
The total volume of open space for the catalytic distillation structure should be at least 10 volume % and preferable at least 20 volume % up to about 65 volume %.
Thus, preferably the catalyst component and the structural element should comprise about 35 volume % to 80 volume % of the total catalytic distillation structure.
The structural element may contain substantially rigid elements and at least one porous container which contain the catalytic material.
The structural element may be comprised of the porous containers.
Other catalytic distillation structures may comprise the porous containers and a resilient material which is comprised of at least 70 volume % open space up to about 95 volume % open space.
One suitable such material is open mesh knitted stainless wire, known generally as demister wire or an expanded wire or an expanded aluminum.
Other resilient components may be similar open mesh knitted polymeric filaments of nylon, Teflon and the like