Appeal No. 94-2855
Application 07/887,404
14. A method for increasing the AACI of an aqueous
diethanolamine solution which has been at least partially
deactivated from contact with an acid gas, said method comprising
contacting said aqueous diethanolamine solution with hydrogen in
the presence of a hydrotreating catalyst under conversion
conditions of temperature from 30EC to 400EC, liquid hourly space
-1 -1
velocity from 0.01 hr to 100 hr , pressure from 1 to 14,000
kPa, hydrogen dosage from 1 to 100 mols H per mol of
2
diethanolamine, and contact time sufficient to convert
diethanolamine degradation products to diethanolamine.
The examiner relies upon the following references as
evidence of obviousness:
Sze et al. (Sze) 3,429,804 Feb. 25, 1969
Kniel 3,696,162 Oct. 3, 1972
Oleck et al. (Oleck) 4,440,630 Apr. 3, 1984
Yan 4,795,565 Jan. 3, 1989
Rubin et al. (Rubin) 4,954,325 Sept. 4, 1990
Appellant's claimed invention is directed to increasing the
AACI (acid absorption capacity index), or regenerating, an
aqueous diethanolamine solution which has been deactivated by
contact with an acid gas which contains H S and CO . The method2 2
involves contacting the deactivated solution with hydrogen in the
presence of a hydrotreating catalyst. The result of such
contacting is the conversion of degradation products of
diethanolamine into diethanolamine. Page 6 of appellant's
specification lists several known degradation products of
diethanolamine which result from the reaction of diethanolamine
and acid gas comprising H S and CO .2 2
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