Method of producing ethylene oxide

FIELD: chemistry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a method of producing ethylene oxide by bringing a mixture fed into an epoxidation reactor, which may contain ethylene, oxygen, carbon dioxide and water in a defined concentration, into contact with a highly selective epoxidation catalyst containing a promoter amount of rhenium. Contacting the mixture fed into the epoxidation reactor is done under epoxidation reaction conditions at reaction temperature below 260°C. The said mixture contains carbon dioxide in concentration less than 2 mol % of the entire mixture and concentration of water in the mixture of at most 1.5 mol % of the entire mixture. Observation of the combination of the said conditions for carrying out the epoxidation process improves operational properties of the epoxidation catalyst, for example increased stability, selectivity and activity of the catalyst.

EFFECT: invention also relates to a method of producing 1,2-ethanediol or 1,2-diol ether, which involves production of ethylene oxide using the method described above and its conversion to 1,2-ethanediol or 1,2-diol ether.

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The invention relates to an efficient method of production of ethylene oxide by partial oxidation of ethylene with oxygen using highly selective epoxidation catalyst.

In recent years we have developed new highly selective catalysts for epoxidation of ethylene, which compared to traditional high-activity catalysts for epoxidation provide the benefits of selective action. Such highly selective catalysts are described in U.S. Patent No. 4761394 and 4766105. However, highly selective catalysts using higher reaction temperatures than those used with highly active catalysts for the release of ethylene oxide, and the rate of deactivation of highly selective catalysts is higher than the rate of deactivation of the traditional high-activity catalysts for epoxidation.

Therefore, it is desirable to find a way to use the benefits of the selective action of highly selective epoxidation catalyst in the method for industrial preparation of ethylene oxide described above without the negative effects associated with this application.

Industrial implementation of the methods of epoxidation feed mixture (raw material) reactor epoxidation get the introduction of fresh oxygen and fresh ethylene is recycled ha the new thread which includes, in addition to unreacted and returned for reprocessing of oxygen and ethylene, some amount of carbon dioxide, water and other gases.

In accordance with this invention proposes a method of production of ethylene oxide, and the method includes contacting highly selective epoxidation catalyst under the conditions of the epoxidation reaction at the reaction temperature below 260°C input power to the reactor mixture comprising ethylene, oxygen and carbon dioxide in certain concentrations, where the specified concentration of carbon dioxide is less than 2 mole percent based on the entire supply the mixture of the epoxidation reactor.

Figure 1 illustrates the increase of the service life of the catalyst and selectivity highly selective catalyst with graphs based catalytic selectivity (N,%) with the performance of the aggregate performance for ethylene oxide ("P", in ton/m³for the inventive use of highly selective epoxidation catalyst (I) in comparison with the traditional use of highly selective epoxidation catalyst ("II") and the traditional use of highly active catalyst ("III").

Figure 2 illustrates the increase of the service life of the catalyst and the reaction temperature curves C the dependence of the temperature of the coolant of the reactor ("T", in °C) from the aggregate performance for ethylene oxide ("P", in ton/m³for the claimed use of a highly selective catalyst (I) and compared with the traditional use of highly selective epoxidation catalyst (“II”) and the traditional use of highly active catalyst “III”).

Figure 3 presents graphs of the concentration of carbon dioxide at the inlet of the reactor ("CO₂"the mole.%) of the total productivity per unit volume of catalyst receipt of ethylene oxide ("P", in ton/m³), corresponding to values of selectivity and refrigerant temperature of the reactor is presented in figure 1 and figure 2.

It was found that when using highly selective epoxidation catalysts for the production of ethylene oxide by partial oxidation of ethylene with oxygen at a constant degree of conversion or performance can be obtained a significant increase in the useful life of the catalyst or other benefits by changing the composition of the feed mixture to the epoxidation reactor. In the traditional method of producing ethylene oxide feed mixture epoxidation reactor typically comprises ethylene, oxygen and carbon dioxide, the concentration of which in most cases is greater than 4 mole percent based on the total amount of mo is feeding her a mixture of the epoxidation reactor. Such a high concentration of carbon dioxide in the feed mixture epoxidation reactor generally do not have a significant adverse impact on the technical characteristics of highly active catalysts; however, using the method of selective epoxidation, and not highly active catalysts for epoxidation and when using a feed mixture of epoxidation reactor in which the concentration of carbon dioxide is less than 1 mole percent and even less than 2 mole percent based on the entire feed mixture can be obtained considerable technological advantages.

The term "selectivity (selectivity)"used in this description, means the molar percentage of the received target of ethylene oxide from the total of ethylene consumed during this performance. The term "performance" for a given catalyst in this description indicates the number of ethylene oxide obtained per unit volume of the catalyst (for example, kg / m³) per hour. The term "activity"as used in this description and in relation to the activity of this catalyst is the temperature which is necessary given the catalyst for this performance.

Thus, high activity epoxidation catalyst is a catalyst, to the m on the number of epoxidation catalyst to obtain this output of ethylene oxide using a lower reaction temperature in comparison with alternative catalyst for the epoxidation. And highly selective epoxidation catalyst is a catalyst which at this temperature provides a higher percentage of transformation in ethylenoxide product at turning feed mixture than alternative catalyst for the epoxidation.

As a highly active catalyst, and highly selective catalyst, referred to in this description are catalysts based on silver on the media, but these two catalysts have different technological characteristics.

The material of the catalysts based on silver on the carrier can be selected from a wide range of porous media, in particular, materials that are considered to be inert in the presence of a feed mixture of the oxidation reaction of ethylene, the reaction products and the conditions for this reaction. Such substances may be natural or artificial, and they can include aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, zirconium dioxide, silicon dioxide, silicon carbide, clays, pumice, zeolites, and coal. Alpha-alumina is the preferred compound for use as the main ingredient in porous media.

The material of the carrier is porous and preferably has a specific surface area determined in accordance with the method VAT, less than 20 m²/g, more specifically from 0.05 to 20 m 2/, Preferably, the surface area of the carrier, defined according VET, is in the range from 0.1 to 10, more preferably from 0.1 to 3.0 m²/year Method of determining the specific surface area is described in detail in the publication of Brunauer, Emmet and Teller, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 60 (1938) 309-316.

Highly selective catalyst on the basis of silver on the carrier according to this invention may be a catalyst that has the original selectivity equal to at least 85%, preferably at least 86% and most preferably at least 87%. For comparison, the initial selectivity of action of highly active catalysts based on silver on the carrier is less than the original selectivity highly selective catalysts based on silver on the media and, more precisely, the initial selectivity of action of highly active catalysts based on silver on the carrier can be less than 85%. However, it is recognized that from a practical point of view, a highly active catalyst will have a minimal selectivity of action. It is considered, what is the minimum value of the selectivity is at least 78%.

The term "initial selectivity"as used herein, means the selectivity of this catalyst, when it is fresh and not used. It is known that catalysts which may lose activity during use. The initial selectivity of this catalyst is determined by measuring the selectivity of the catalyst using standard methods of tests. In this standard test method milled catalyst (particle size of 1.27-1,81 mm, i.e. the fraction of sieve hole size 14-20 mesh) is placed inside a U-shaped stainless steel tube with a diameter of 6.35 mm (1/4 inch) micro-reactor working in some specific process conditions. Standard feed mixture containing 30 mole percent of ethylene, 7 molar percent of the carbon dioxide and 8.5 mole percent oxygen, and also of 54.5 mole percent nitrogen, is introduced into the microreactor with a gauge pressure 1447 kPa (210 psi) and with such speed that provides volumetric feed rate of the gaseous mixture 3300 nl/l.h. Selectivity, Sw, and activity, Tw, to determine the capacity at which the yield of ethylene oxide is 200 kg of ethylene oxide per hour per cubic meter of catalyst. Selectivity is expressed in molar percent, and the activity is presented as the reactor temperature in degrees Celsius.

In addition to differences in the quantification of technological characteristics of highly active and highly selective catalysts, may also be differences in the types and quantities of compounds, representing the x a promoter catalysts, used in these two types of catalysts. One such difference is that highly selective catalysts of this invention include rhenium promoting component, while, on the other hand, highly active catalysts, if and contain a rhenium component, a minor or epromoterscom number. In addition to rhenium component, highly selective catalysts may optionally contain the promoting amount of a promoter based on an alkali metal, or an additional metal promoter, or both of these supplements. Suitable highly selective catalysts are described in U.S. Patent No. 4761394 and 4766105, which are included in this invention by reference.

Thus, highly selective catalysts comprise a carrier material, a catalytically effective amount of silver, a promoting amount of rhenium, and, optionally, the promoting amount of one or more alkali metals and, optionally, a promoting amount of one or more metal promoters. The amount of silver in a highly selective catalyst is in the range of a catalytically effective amount up to 40 percent based on the total weight of the catalyst. Preferably, the amount of silver can be up to 40 mass. p is Acento based on the total weight of the catalyst. More preferably, the amount of silver may be in the range from 1 to 30 mass. percent based on the total weight of the catalyst and, most preferably, from 5 to 20 mass. percent.

The amount of rhenium in the highly selective catalyst is promoting a number, usually in the range from the minimum promoting amount of up to 20 micromol of rhenium per gram of catalyst. Preferably, the amount of rhenium in the highly selective catalyst is in the range from 0.1 micromol per gram to 10 micromol per gram, more preferably from 0.2 micromol per gram to 5 micromol per gram of total catalyst or, alternatively, from 19 ppm up to 1860 ppm, preferably from 37 parts per million up to 930 parts per million based on the total weight of the catalyst.

The amount of alkali metal in a highly selective catalyst, if present, is promoting a number, usually in the range from promoting minimum quantity 4000 ppm based on the total weight of the catalyst (mass ppm - parts per million). Preferably, the amount of alkali metal, when one is present, is in the range from 10 to 3000 parts by weight per million, more preferably from 15 to 2000 parts by weight of/million, even more preferably from 20 to 1500 parts by weight of/million

Neo is acutely additional metal promoter is highly selective catalyst may be selected from the group of metals, containing sulfur, molybdenum, tungsten, chromium and mixtures of two or more of them. The amount of additional metal promoters in highly selective catalyst, if present, is typically in the range from 0.1 to 10 mmol per kilogram of total catalyst and, preferably, from 0.2 to 5 mmol per kilogram of total catalyst.

As a highly active catalyst, in addition to its contrast to the highly selective catalyst, is less selective steps, as described above, it usually does not contain rhenium promoter, but it may contain a promoter based on the alkali metal. Thus, a highly active catalyst preferably may include a carrier material, a catalytically effective amount of silver and a promoting amount of alkali metal, but does not contain a promoting amount of rhenium. Therefore, a highly active catalyst can also essentially contain a catalytically effective amount of silver, a promoting amount of alkali metal and a carrier material. Examples of suitable high-activity catalysts are described in U.S. Patent No. 5380697, which are included in this invention by reference.

Component of silver may be present in a highly active catalyst in amounts in the range from catalytically effect the main number to 40 mass. percent based on the total weight of the catalyst. However, preferably the silver is present in an amount in the range from 1 to 30 mass. percent and most preferably from 5 to 20 mass. percent.

Component of the alkali metal may be present in a highly active catalyst in amounts in the range from promoting amount of up to 4000 parts by weight of/million Preferred alkali metal is present in an amount in the range from 10 to 3000 parts by weight per million and more preferably from 15 to 2000 parts by weight of/million

The method of this invention involves contacting, in suitable conditions, the epoxidation reaction, the initial reaction mixture, feeding the epoxidation reactor, with the selective epoxidation catalyst, which is defined above. In most cases, highly selective epoxidation catalyst is located inside the reaction zone epoxidation defined by the epoxidation reactor that provides the contact conditions of the supply of the mixture of the epoxidation reactor with the selective epoxidation catalyst in such suitable reaction conditions epoxidation.

Feeding the mixture of the epoxidation reactor of the present invention includes ethylene, oxygen and carbon dioxide in certain concentrations. Feeding the mixture of the epoxidation reactor may also include the other connection, for example, argon, nitrogen, methane, ethane, or some combination of such compounds, and some water. Generally, the amount of ethylene in the feed mixture epoxidation reactor may be in the range from 1 to 40 mole percent, the amount of oxygen in the feed mixture to the reactor containing nitrogen may be in the range from 3 to 12 mole percent, the amount of other compounds in the feed mixture epoxidation reactor can be up to 3 mole percent, where all the values are molar percent presented based on the total number of moles in the feed mixture to the epoxidation reactor.

Feeding the mixture of the epoxidation reactor, enter in contact with the selective catalyst contains carbon dioxide at low concentration, which is usually less than 2 mole percent based on the entire supply the mixture of the epoxidation reactor. The best option is an option in which the concentration of carbon dioxide in the feed mixture of the epoxidation reactor is less than 1.5 mole percent of the feed mixture to the epoxidation reactor, but preferably the concentration of carbon dioxide in the feed mixture of the epoxidation reactor is maintained at a level less than 1.2 mole percent, most preferably, the concentration of carbon dioxide is less than 1 mole about the enta. In the usual practice of this invention the concentration of carbon dioxide in the feed mixture of the epoxidation reactor is generally at least 0.1 mole percent, in particular at least to 0.2 mole percent of the total number of moles of the feed mixture of the epoxidation reactor.

As stated above, when the industrial implementation methods, epoxidation, feeding the mixture of the epoxidation reactor is formed by the addition of fresh oxygen and ethylene in the recirculated gas flow, which includes, in addition to unreacted and recirculated oxygen and ethylene, some amount of water, carbon dioxide and other gases. Water is usually injected into the recycled gas stream in the absorber of carbon dioxide industrial installations. It was found that in the practical application of this invention it is desirable that the concentration of water in the feed mixture epoxidation reactor was low as possible, as this improves the processing characteristics of the catalyst associated with the activity, selectivity and lifetime, compared with the situation where the supply of the mixture of the epoxidation reactor includes a relatively large amount of water. Preferably, the concentration of water in the feed mixture of the epoxidation reactor is at most a 1.5 mol the data of interest, more preferably at most 0.5 to 1.0 mole percent and, in particular, at most, to 0.35 mole percent based on the entire supply the mixture of the epoxidation reactor. In the usual practice of this invention the concentration of water in the feed mixture of the epoxidation reactor, typically, is at least 0.01 mole percent, more typically at least 0.1 mole percent based on the entire supply the mixture of the epoxidation reactor.

A distinctive feature of the method of the present invention is that it provides the selectivity of the catalyst of more than 82 mol percent when the temperature of the epoxidation reaction below 260°C, and it is capable of providing the selectivity of the catalyst even more than 85 mole percent at a temperature of the epoxidation reaction below 250°C. Preferably, the method of the present invention provides a reaction temperature epoxidation below 240°C with catalyst selectivity more than 88 mole percent.

Suitable reaction conditions for the epoxidation method according to this invention may include the temperature of the reaction zone epoxidation in the process of contacting highly selective epoxidation catalyst with a feed mixture of epoxidation reactor equal to at least 180°C, for example, in the range from 180 to 250°C or 180 to 240°C; in particular, the minority is her least 190°C, for example, in the range of from 190 to 250°C or 190 to 240°C; more precisely, at least 200°C, for example, in the range from 200 to 250°C or 200 to 240°C. the Volumetric hourly rate of the gas is typically in the range of from 1500 to 10000 nl/l.h, and the pressure at the inlet to the reaction zone epoxidation is usually up to 35 bar, preferably from 5 to 30 bar.

The ethylene oxide obtained by the method of this invention may be converted into 1,2-ethanediol, in a simple 1,2-ethiology ether or ethanolamine. Since the invention leads to a more profitable method of production of ethylene oxide, it simultaneously leads to a more attractive method, which includes the receipt of ethylene oxide in accordance with this invention and subsequent use of ethylene oxide for the production of 1,2-ethanediol, simple 1,2-ethiolove ether and/or ethanolamine.

The conversion of 1,2-ethanediol or simple 1,2-ethiology ether may include, for example, the interaction of ethylene oxide with water, respectively, using acidic or basic catalyst. For example, to obtain predominantly 1,2-ethanediol and, to a lesser extent, simple 1,2-ethiolove ether, the ethylene oxide may be subjected to interaction with a tenfold molar excess of water in the liquid-phase reaction in the presence of an acid catalyst, for example, 0.5 to 1.0 wt is.% sulfuric acid based on the total weight of the reaction mixture, at 50-70°C and an absolute pressure of 1 bar, or reactions in the gas phase at 130-240°C and an absolute pressure of 20-40 bar, preferably in the absence of catalyst. If the proportion of water decreases, the proportion of simple 1,2-ethiolove esters in the reaction mixture increases. Simple 1,2-ethiolove esters obtained in this way can be a simple diesters, treviri, therefire or subsequent esters. Alternatively, a simple 1,2-ethiolove esters can be obtained by transformation of ethylene oxide under the influence of alcohol, in particular, a primary alcohol, such as methanol or ethanol, by substituting at least part of the water with alcohol.

The transformation in ethanolamine may include, for example, the interaction of ethylene oxide with ammonia. Can be used in anhydrous or aqueous ammonia, although anhydrous ammonia is typically used to facilitate the obtaining of monoethanolamine. Methods that can be used for the conversion of ethylene oxide in ethanolamine described, for example, in the publication US-A-4845296, which is incorporated in this description by reference.

1,2-Ethanediol and a simple 1,2-ethiology ether can be used in various fields of industrial applications, for example, in the food industry, beverages, tobacco products, cosmetic products, thermoplastic polymers, capable of curing on kernich systems, the detergents, heat exchange systems, etc. Ethanolamine can be used, for example, when processing ("elevation") of natural gas.

Except where otherwise indicated, low molecular weight organic compounds mentioned in this description, for example, a simple 1,2-ethiolove esters and modifiers reactions, usually contain at most 40 carbon atoms, more typically at most 20 carbon atoms, in particular at most 10 carbon atoms, more precisely, at most 6 carbon atoms. As defined herein, the intervals of the number of atoms of carbon (i.e. carbon number) include the number specified for the limits of the intervals.

When having described in General the invention, further explanation can be obtained by referring to the following examples, which are presented only to illustrate this invention and are not intended to limit its scope, except as specifically provided otherwise.

EXAMPLE 1

Highly selective catalyst containing silver and a promoting amount of rhenium, lithium, cesium and sulfur on alpha-aluminum oxide, feel upon receipt of ethylene oxide from ethylene and oxygen. For this sample of crushed catalyst is loaded into the U-shaped reaction tube made of stainless steel. The tube is immersed in a bath of molten is on metal (medium heat) at 180°C and the ends are connected to a gas supply system. The gas mixture passed through the catalyst bed parallel. A lot of the used catalyst and the flow rate at the inlet adjusted so as to obtain a volumetric hourly rate of the gas 3300 nl/(l.h.) The absolute pressure of the incoming gas is 1550 kPa.

The composition of the gas mixture regulate to obtain the following composition: 30 volume percent ethylene, 8 volume percent oxygen, and 1 volume percent carbon dioxide and 2.5 parts by volume per million (OBC/million) ethylchloride and nitrogen - the rest is up to 100%.

The temperature of the catalyst layer raised at a rate of 10°C per hour to 225°C and then the temperature is adjusted so that was achieved conversion of oxygen to 40 molar percent. The concentration of ethylchloride in the gaseous mixture is brought to 2.5 OBC/million for optimum selectivity of the formation of ethylene oxide. The catalyst activity is expressed as the temperature at which achieved 40 mole percent conversion of oxygen (t); selectivity is the selectivity at a temperature of t. During the experiment, the catalyst is subjected to decomposition and to maintain a constant conversion of 40 molar percent of the temperature is gradually increased. The results are presented in the table.

In three similar comparative experiments, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the gas mixture is from 5 to volume percent instead of 1 volume percent. The average value of the three comparative experiments are also presented in the table.

The results presented in the table clearly show that the decrease in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the feed mixture epoxidation reactor improves the technological characteristics of the highly selective catalyst associated with its activity, selectivity and lifetime.

EXAMPLE 2

The calculated sample represents data obtained with the use of proprietary models to predict the properties of highly selective epoxidation catalyst in terms of working with an hourly space velocity 4700 nl/(l.h), a gauge pressure of 21.7 bar and performance 184 kg/(m³CAS) for feeding a mixture of the reactor, containing 25 mole percent ethylene and 8 mole percent oxygen. The model is based on the correlation data on the properties of real catalysts, collected from numerous sources, such as data on activity for microreactors, the data for pilot plants and other sources of technological characteristics of the catalysts.

Figure 1 represents the selectivity highly selective epoxidation catalyst as a function of aging of the catalyst, expressed depending on the aggregate performance for ethylene oxide, represented ton/m³for the respective concentrations of carbon dioxide in the feed mixture are presented in figure 3. The graphs show that there is a clear correlation between the lifetime of the catalyst and the initial concentration of carbon dioxide and between the selectivity and the initial concentration of carbon dioxide. As shown in figure 1, the speed of decrease of the selectivity of action of catalysis is ora during technological processing feed gas concentration of carbon dioxide of less than 1 molar percent (curve I) is significantly lower than the rate of decrease in selectivity of the catalyst in the processing of raw materials containing carbon dioxide more than 4 mole percent (curve II). From the curves also shows that the initial selectivity highly selective catalyst is higher when the concentration of carbon dioxide in the feed mixture is less than 1 mole percent, in contrast to the feed mixture with the concentration of carbon dioxide, making up more than 4 mole percent. The presented data show that significant advantages in selectivity and lifetime of highly selective epoxidation catalyst can be obtained by processing the supply of the mixture of the epoxidation reactor with a low concentration of carbon dioxide. Other comparative data relate to the use of highly active catalyst, operating at the concentration of carbon dioxide, making up more than 4 mole percent (curve III).

Figure 2 represents the temperature of the coolant of the reactor as a function of aging of the catalyst used in the epoxidation reaction for the respective concentrations of carbon dioxide in the feed mixture are presented in figure 3. The refrigerant temperature of the reactor is close to the reaction temperature. Data indicate that the rate of loss of activity of the catalyst for the epoxidation of how this izopet the tion, used in the processing of the supply of reaction mixture epoxidation with a low concentration of carbon dioxide, less than 1 mole percent (curve I), significantly lower than the rate of loss of activity of the epoxidation catalyst used in the processing of feed mixture with a higher concentration of carbon dioxide than in the method of the present invention (curve II). The data presented show that the stability of the highly selective epoxidation catalyst, represented as the rate of decrease in the activity of the catalyst is greatly improved when using the method of the present invention, which includes technological processing of the supply of reaction mixture epoxidation with a low concentration of carbon dioxide. Additional comparative data relate to the use of highly active catalyst, operating at the concentration of carbon dioxide, making up more than 4 mole percent (curve III).

EXAMPLE 3

Highly selective catalyst containing silver and a promoting amount of rhenium, lithium, cesium and sulfur on alpha-aluminum oxide, feel upon receipt of ethylene oxide from ethylene and oxygen. For this sample of crushed catalyst is loaded into the U-shaped reaction tube made of stainless steel. The tube is immersed in a bath of molten is on metal (medium heat) at 180°C and the ends are connected to a gas supply system. The gas mixture passed through the catalyst bed in the single passage mode. A lot of the used catalyst and the flow rate at the inlet adjusted so as to obtain a volumetric hourly rate of the gas 3300 nl/(l·h). The absolute pressure of the incoming gas is 1550 kPa.

The composition of the gas mixture regulate to obtain the following composition: 30 volume percent ethylene, 8 volume percent of oxygen of 0.5 volume percent of carbon dioxide, ethylchloride in concentration, allowing to maintain the optimum selectivity, and nitrogen - the rest is up to 100%.

The temperature of the catalyst layer raised at a rate of 10°C per hour up to 245°C and maintained layer at this temperature for 12 hours. Then the temperature of the catalyst layer raised at a rate of 10°C per hour up to 260°C and maintained layer at this temperature for 24 hours. Then the temperature is adjusted so that was achieved performance of the catalyst at 200 kg/m³/hour. The catalyst activity is expressed as the temperature at which the achieved performance of the catalyst at 200 kg/m³per hour; selectivity represents the selectivity in the performance of the catalyst at 200 kg/m³/hour. The results are presented in figure 4 and 5.

In three comparative experiments, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the gas mixture is 5 the lines percent instead of 0.5 volume percent and the temperature of the catalyst layer support at 245°C for 18 hours instead of 12 hours. The results of the comparative experiments are also presented in figure 4 and 5.

The results presented in figure 4 and 5, clearly show that a lower concentration of carbon dioxide in the feed mixture epoxidation reactor improves the operating characteristics of highly selective catalyst with respect to its activity (see figure 5), and that when using low concentrations of water, there are also additional advantages in terms of selectivity of the catalyst (see figure 4).

Although this invention has been described with the help of this preferred option, a qualified specialist will be understood by reasonable variations and modifications. Such variations and modifications are also included in the scope of this invention and the attached claims.

1. A method for industrial production of ethylene oxide, where the method includes contacting highly selective epoxidation catalyst comprising the promoting amount of rhenium in the conditions of the epoxidation reaction at the reaction temperature below 260°C input power to the reactor mixture containing ethylene, oxygen, and carbon dioxide and water at a certain concentration where the specified concentration of carbon dioxide is less than 2 mol.% based on all of the supply mix of the epoxidation reactor, and where the concentration of water is in the supply of the mixture of the epoxidation reactor is at most, a 1.5 mol.% based on all of the supply mix of the epoxidation reactor.

2. The method according to claim 1, where the temperature is below 250°C, in particular, is in the range from 180 to 250°C.

3. The method of claim 2, where the temperature is below 240°C, in particular, is in the range from 190 to 240°C.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, where the specified concentration of carbon dioxide is less than 1.5 mol.%, in particular, is in the range from 0.1 to less than 1.5 mol.% based on all of the supply mix of the epoxidation reactor.

5. The method according to claim 4, where the specified concentration of carbon dioxide is less than 1.2 mol.%, in particular, is in the range from 0.2 to less than 1.2 mol.% based on all of the supply mix of the epoxidation reactor.

6. The method according to claim 1, where the concentration of water in the feed mixture of the epoxidation reactor is at most 1 mol.% based on all of the supply mix of the epoxidation reactor.

7. The method according to claim 6, where the concentration of water in the feed mixture of the epoxidation reactor is in the range from 0.01 to 0.5 mol.%, in particular, from 0.1 to 0.35 mol.%, based on all of the supply mix of the epoxidation reactor.

8. The method according to claim 1, where the specified highly selective epoxidation catalyst comprises a material carrier, a catalytically effective amount of silver and a promoting amount of rhenium.

9. The method of claim 8, where the material novtel who is an alpha-alumina, the amount of silver is in the range from 1 to 40 wt.%, and the amount of rhenium is in the range from 0.1 to 10 micromol per gram based on the total weight of the catalyst.

10. Method for producing 1,2-ethanediol or simple 1,2-ethiolove ether including:
receipt of ethylene oxide by the method of producing ethylene oxide according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and
the conversion of ethylene oxide to 1,2-ethanediol or in a simple 1,2-ethiology ether.