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Selectivity improvement using alternate flushing and reactant cycle steps
Author(s) -
Lang X. S.,
Silveston P. L.,
Hudgins R. R.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.5450690511
Subject(s) - catalysis , selectivity , inert , partial oxidation , maleic anhydride , chemistry , hydrocarbon , yield (engineering) , flushing , inert gas , molybdate , oxygenate , oxygen , furan , chemical engineering , organic chemistry , inorganic chemistry , materials science , metallurgy , medicine , engineering , copolymer , endocrinology , polymer
When a reactor is operated by alternately exposing the catalyst to hydrocarbon and oxygen, selectivity has been found to increase, but not for all partial oxidation products and not for all systems. In this study, multi‐step periodic operation in which the catalyst is alternately exposed to hydrocarbon and air with an inert gas pulse between either or both of the reactant gases is examined. Partial oxidation of butadiene over a promoted vanadia molybdate catalyst was used. The influence of cycle period as well as the location and duration of the inert flush upon oxygenate production and yield was studied. Multi‐step periodic operation using an inert gas for flushing was found not to be an attractive option for maleic anhydride from butadiene unless an increase in the yield of furan is desired.