Process and apparatus for producing organic polysulfides

Abstract

A filtering means containing gelatinous and solid materials is cleaned without dismantling the filtering means by contacting the gelatinous material inside the filtering means with a solvent, thereby physically degrading the gelatinous material such that the degraded gelatinous material can pass through the filtering means.

That which is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A process comprising: 
 (a) trapping at least one solid material and at least one gelatinous material in a filtering means;    (b) contacting said at least one gelatinous material with a solvent to produce a degraded gelatinous material capable of passing through said filtering means; and    (c) passing said degraded gelatinous material through said filtering means.    
     
     
         2 . A process according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one solid material comprises sodium bicarbonate.  
     
     
         3 . A process according to  claim 2  wherein said at least one gelatinous material comprises a surfactant.  
     
     
         4 . A process according to  claim 3  wherein said solvent is an organic solvent.  
     
     
         5 . A process according to  claim 4  wherein said filtering means comprises at least one filter.  
     
     
         6 . A process according to  claim 5  wherein said at least one solid material further comprises a sulfur compound.  
     
     
         7 . A process according to  claim 6  wherein said at least one gelatinous material further comprises an organic polysulfide.  
     
     
         8 . A process according to  claim 7  wherein said solvent is selected from the group consisting of aromatic hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, alicyclic hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons, alcohols, ketones, ethers, esters, and aprotic polar solvents.  
     
     
         9 . A process according to  claim 8  wherein said filtering means comprises at least one filter having a filtration rating of from about 0.1 microns to about 40 microns.  
     
     
         10 . A process according to  claim 1  further comprising the step of, prior to step (a), charging a crude organic polysulfide product to said filtering means, wherein said crude organic polysulfide product comprises at least one organic polysulfide, said at least one gelatinous material, and said at least one solid material.  
     
     
         11 . A process according to  claim 10  wherein said filtering means is capable of trapping at least a portion of said at least one gelatinous byproduct and at least a portion of said at least one solid byproduct therein, while allowing substantially all said at least one organic polysulfide to pass therethrough.  
     
     
         12 . A process according to  claim 11  wherein said at least one solid material comprises sodium bicarbonate.  
     
     
         13 . A process according to  claim 12  wherein said at least one gelatinous material comprises a surfactant.  
     
     
         14 . A process according to  claim 13  wherein said solvent comprises a ketone.  
     
     
         15 . A process according to  claim 14  wherein said filtering means comprises two filters, each having a filtration rating of from 0.5 microns to 20 microns.  
     
     
         16 . A process according to  claim 15  wherein said solvent comprises acetone.  
     
     
         17 . A process comprising: 
 (a) contacting a mercaptan, a sulfur compound, and a catalyst in a reactor under reaction conditions sufficient to produce a crude organic polysulfide product comprising at least one organic polysulfide, at least one gelatinous byproduct, and at least one solid byproduct.    (b) charging said crude organic polysulfide product to a filtering means capable of trapping at least a portion of said at least one gelatinous byproduct and at least a portion of said at least one solid byproduct therein, while allowing substantially all said at least one organic polysulfide to pass therethrough;    (c) simultaneously with step (b), monitoring a pressure drop across said filtering means;    (d) when said pressure drop across said filtering means reaches an undesirably high pressure drop, terminating the charging of said crude organic polysulfide product to said filtering means;    (e) thereafter, charging a solvent to said filtering means, thereby contacting said solvent with said at least one gelatinous byproduct to produce a degraded gelatinous byproduct capable of passing through said filtering means; and    (f) passing said degraded gelatinous byproduct through said filtering means.    
     
     
         18 . A process according to  claim 17  wherein said at least one solid byproduct comprises sodium bicarbonate.  
     
     
         19 . A process according to  claim 18  wherein said at least one gelatinous byproduct comprises a surfactant.  
     
     
         20 . A process according to  claim 19  wherein said solvent is an organic solvent.  
     
     
         21 . A process according to  claim 20  wherein said filtering means comprises at least one filter.  
     
     
         22 . A process according to  claim 21  wherein said at least one solid byproduct further comprises a sulfur compound.  
     
     
         23 . A process according to  claim 22  wherein said at least one gelatinous byproduct further comprises an organic polysulfide.  
     
     
         24 . A process according to  claim 23  wherein said solvent is selected from the group consisting of aromatic hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, alicyclic hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons, alcohols, ketones, ethers, esters, and aprotic polar solvents.  
     
     
         25 . A process according to  claim 24  wherein said filtering means comprises at least one filter having a filtration rating of from about 0.1 microns to about 40 microns.  
     
     
         26 . A process according to  claim 25  wherein said solvent comprises a ketone.  
     
     
         27 . A process according to  claim 26  wherein said filtering means comprises two filters, each having a filtration rating of from 0.5 microns to 20 microns.  
     
     
         28 . A process according to  claim 27  wherein said solvent comprises acetone.  
     
     
         29 . A process according to  claim 28  wherein said undesirably high pressure drop is from about 50 percent to about 100 percent of the maximum pressure differential rating of said filtering means.  
     
     
         30 . A process according to  claim 29  wherein said degraded gelatinous byproduct is dissolved in said solvent.  
     
     
         31 . A process according to  claim 30  wherein said mercaptan is t-butyl mercaptan, said sulfur compound is elemental sulfur, and said catalyst comprises sodium hydroxide and an alkoxylated compound.  
     
     
         32 . An apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a filtering means;    (b) a solvent source connected in fluid flow communication with said filtering means; and    (c) a solvent flow control means for controlling the flow of said solvent between said solvent source and said filtering means.    
     
     
         33 . An apparatus according to  claim 32  wherein said filtering means is capable of trapping at least a portion of at least one gelatinous material and at least a portion of at least one solid material therein, while allowing at least one liquid product to pass therethrough.  
     
     
         34 . An apparatus according to  claim 33  wherein said solvent flow control means comprises a valve for commencing and terminating the flow of said solvent from said solvent source to said filtering means.  
     
     
         35 . An apparatus according to  claim 34  wherein said solvent flow control means further comprises a pump for forcing the flow of said solvent from said solvent source to said filtering means.  
     
     
         36 . An apparatus according to  claim 35  wherein said solvent source is a tank defining a volume of said solvent.  
     
     
         37 . An apparatus according to  claim 36  wherein said filtering means comprises at least one filter having a filtration rating of from about 0.1 microns to about 40 microns.  
     
     
         38 . An apparatus according to  claim 37  wherein said filtering means comprises two filters, each having a filtration rating of from 0.5 microns to 10 microns.  
     
     
         39 . An apparatus according to  claim 38  wherein said solvent source, said filtering means, and said solvent flow control means are connect in a fluid flow communication arrangement which allows said solvent to circulate through said filtering means, said solvent source, and said solvent flow control means.  
     
     
         40 . An apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a reactor having a reactor outlet;    (b) a filtering means having a filtering means inlet and a filtering means outlet, wherein said filtering means inlet is connected in fluid flow communication with said reactor outlet;    (c) a solvent source, defining a volume of a solvent, having a solvent source inlet and a solvent source outlet, wherein said solvent source outlet is connected in fluid flow communication with said filtering means inlet and said solvent source inlet is connected in fluid flow communication with said filtering means outlet, thereby providing a closed-loop solvent flow system for circulating solvent through said filtering means and said solvent source;    (d) a crude product flow control means, positioned between said reactor outlet and said filtering means inlet, for controlling the flow of a crude product from said reactor outlet to said filtering means inlet; and    (e) a solvent flow control means, positioned within said closed-loop solvent flow system, for controlling the flow of said solvent through said closed-loop solvent flow system.    
     
     
         41 . An apparatus according to  claim 40  wherein said filtering means is capable of trapping at least a portion of at least one gelatinous material and at least a portion of at least one solid material therein, while allowing at least one liquid product to pass therethrough.  
     
     
         42 . An apparatus according to  claim 41  wherein said solvent flow control means comprises a valve for commencing and terminating the flow of said solvent within said closed-loop solvent flow system.  
     
     
         43 . An apparatus according to  claim 42  wherein said solvent flow control means further comprises a pump for forcing the flow of said solvent through said closed-loop solvent flow sytem.  
     
     
         44 . An apparatus according to  claim 43  wherein said solvent source is a tank.  
     
     
         45 . An apparatus according to  claim 44  wherein said filtering means comprises at least one filter having a filtration rating of from about 0.1 microns to about 40 microns.  
     
     
         46 . An apparatus according to  claim 45  further comprising a pressure measuring means for measuring the pressure drop across said filtering means.  
     
     
         47 . An apparatus according to  claim 46  wherein said filtering means comprises two filters, each having a filtration rating of from about 0.5 microns to about 10 microns.