A process for hydrogenation of glycerol in which a feed comprising glycerol is contacted with a stream of a hydrogen-containing gas and subjected to hydrogenation in the vapour phase in the presence of a catalyst at a temperature of from about 160° C. to about 260° C., a pressure of from about 10 to about 30 bar, a hydrogen to glycerol ratio of from 400:1 to about 600:1 and a residence time of from about 0.01 to about 2.5 secs.
1. A process for hydrogenation of glycerol in which a feed comprising glycerol is contacted with a stream of a hydrogen-containing gas and subjected to hydrogenation in the vapour phase in the presence of a catalyst at a temperature of from about 160° C. to about 260° C., a pressure of from about 10 to about 30 bar, a hydrogen to glycerol ratio of from 400:1 to about 600:1 and a residence time of from about 0.01 to about 2.5 hr −1 .
2. A process according to claim 1 wherein the glycerol feed is vaporised into a stream of hydrogen-containing gas in a vaporiser before being passed to a hydrogenation reactor.
3. A process according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the catalyst is provided as a fixed bed located in the hydrogenation reactor.
4. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the catalyst is a reduced copper catalyst.
5. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the reaction temperature is from about 200° C. to about 240° C.
6. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the reaction temperature is from about 205° C. to about 220° C.
7. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the reaction pressure is from about 17 bar to about 23 bar.
8. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the reaction pressure is from about 20 bar.
9. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the residence time is from about 0.3 secs to about 1.5 secs.
10. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the residue time is about 0.5 secs.
11. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the hydrogen to glycerol ratio is from about 450:1 to about 550:1.
12. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the hydrogen to glycerol ratio is from about 500:1.
13. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein the process is selective for the formation of 1,2-propanediol.
14. A process according to claim 13 wherein the temperature is less than about 210° C.
15. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein the process is selective for the formation of propanols.
16. A process according to claim 15 wherein the temperature is about 210° C. or more.