Thomas PellKingsport, TN

6136869, Oct 24, 2000

Oct 6, 1998

9/167248

Michael Paul Ekart - Kingsport TN
Thomas Michael Pell - Kingsport TN
David Dunlap Cornell - Kingsport TN
Damon Bryan Shackelford - Johnson City TN

Eastman Chemical Company - Kingsport TN

C08J 1124

521 485

A process for recovering suitable polyester feedstock material from recycled polyester includes the steps of depolymerizing the polyester into its component ester monomers and half-esters; separating the monomers and half-esters from other secondary materials; and mixing the component ester monomers and half-esters with additional monomers to produce a low molecular weight polyester. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the recycled polyester is contacted with a component monomer or oligomer thereof to liquefy the polyester before the polyester is depolymerized. The invention further provides an apparatus for carrying out the process. The apparatus includes a first reactor for depolymerizing the recycled polyester, a separator for separating ester monomeric components and half-esters from secondary materials produced in the first reactor, and a second reactor for producing a low molecular weight polyester from the liquefied separator products.

5413681, May 9, 1995

Nov 15, 1993

8/151637

Gerald C. Tustin - Kingsport TN
Thomas M. Pell - Kingsport TN
David A. Jenkins - Gray TN
Mary T. Jernigan - Kingsport TN

Eastman Chemical Company - Kingsport TN

B01D 300

203 80

A process useful for the recovery of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol from poly(ethylene terephthalate) or its copolymers. The process is economical, beneficial to the environment and provides polymer grade terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol from post-consumer resin. The process is a six-step process including: (1) contacting a resin containing poly(ethylene terephthalate) with water at elevated temperature and pressure, (2) cooling the resulting mixture to provide a solid portion containing terephthalic acid and a liquid portion containing ethylene glycol, (3) recovery of the ethylene glycol from the liquid portion by distillation, (4) recovery of the terephthalic acid by heating the solid portion in the presence of water vapor at elevated temperature to produce a vapor containing terephthalic acid and water, (5) cooling terephthalic acid water vapor mixture to a temperature below the dew point of terephthalic acid and (6) collecting the polymer grade terephthalic acid. The polymer grade terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol provided by this process can be used to make high quality terephthalate homopolymers or copolymers for applications including clear bottles and fibers.

6191177, Feb 20, 2001

Jun 30, 2000

9/607213

Michael Paul Ekart - Kingsport TN
Thomas Michael Pell - Kingsport TN
David Dunlap Cornell - Kingsport TN
Damon Bryan Shackelford - Johnson City TN

Eastman Chemical Company - Kingsport TN

C08J 1104
B29B 1560

521 485

An apparatus for depolymerizing recycled polyester into its component ester monomers and half esters includes a first reactor for depolymerizing the recycled polyester, a separator for separating ester monomeric components and half-esters from secondary materials produced in the first reactor, and a second reactor for producing a low molecular weight polyester from liquefied separator products.

6211398, Apr 3, 2001

Sep 9, 1998

9/150107

Thomas Michael Pell - Kingsport TN

Eastman Chemical Company - Kingsport TN

C07C 6754
B01D 306

560 78

Disclosed is a process for the production and purification of dialkyl naphthalenedicarboxylate compounds wherein a crude naphthalenediacarboxylic acid is esterified with an alkanol such as methanol to produce a crude esterification product comprising dialkyl naphthalenedicarboxylate, starting materials and other compounds and the crude esterification product is purified by flash distillation to remove impurities which can cause fouling of conventional distillation equipment. A particularly useful diester is dimethyl 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate.

5635584, Jun 3, 1997

Dec 7, 1995

8/570177

Michael P. Ekart - Kingsport TN
Thomas M. Pell - Kingsport TN

Eastman Chemical Company - Kingsport TN

C08G 6300

528271

A new process is described for recycling polyesters. In accordance with the described process, postconsumer or scrap polyester is reacted with glycol to produce a monomer or low molecular weight oligomer by depolymerization of the polyester. The monomer or oligomer, as the case may be, is then purified using one or more of a number of steps including filtration, crystallization, and optionally adsorbent treatment or evaporation. The monomer or oligomer thus produced is particularly suitable as a raw material for acid or ester based polyester production of packaging grade polyester material. Because the process includes purification steps, specifications for the previously used polyester material need not be strict.

2007021, Sep 20, 2007

Mar 1, 2006

11/365699

Alan George Wonders - Kingsport TN, US
Robert Lin - Kingsport TN, US
Leigh A. Alexander - West Columbia SC, US
Thomas Michael Pell - Daytona Beach FL, US

C07C 51/16
C07C 51/255

562410

Disclosed is an optimized system for more efficiently and economically producing terephthalic acid. The system includes an novel method for heating the slurry and/or reaction medium subjected to oxidative digestion.

2007021, Sep 20, 2007

Mar 1, 2006

11/366004

Robert Lin - Kingsport TN, US
Ruairi Seosamh O'Meadhra - Kingsport TN, US
Alan George Wonders - Kingsport TN, US
Thomas Michael Pell - Daytona Beach FL, US

C07C 51/16
C07C 51/255
F01N 3/10

562410, 422173

Disclosed is an optimized system for more efficiently and economically producing terephthalic acid. The system includes an oxidative digestion reactor/zone configured to provide optimized residence time distribution for the solid and liquid phases of the reaction medium processed therein.