An experimental study of the partial oxidation of ethane to ethylene in a shallow fluidized bed reactor

Abstract

The partial catalytic oxidation of ethane to ethylene was investigated experimentally in a shallow fluidized bed. The performances of two catalyst types, pure γ-Al2O3 and V2O5/γ-Al2O3 particles 1.8 mm in diameter, were analyzed. A pilot fluidized bed reactor with rectangular cross-section of 100mmx100mm was used. The experiments were carried out under atmospheric pressure in a dilute system under oxygen excess conditions. V2O5/γ-Al2O3 showed good catalytic performances regarding ethylene selectivity. The influence of the temperature (in the range of 400-600°C) and the contact time (in the range of 35-85 kg s m-3) on the conversion of ethane and the selectivity to ethylene was analyzed. The highest yield of ethylene was 18%.

U ovom radu eksperimentalno je ispitivana parcijalna katalitička oksidacija etana do etilena u reaktoru sa plitkim fluidizovanim slojem (visina sloja manja od prečnika reaktora). Kao čestice katalizatora korišćene su čestice čistog γ-Al2O3 kao i V2O5/γ-Al 2O3 prečnika 1.8 mm i upoređena su njihova svojstva u pogledu aktivnosti i selektivnosti ka etilenu. Reakcija je ispitivana u reaktoru kvadratnog poprečnog preseka 100 mmx100 mm pod atmosferskim pritiskom, u razblaženom sistemu u uslovima viška kiseonika. V 2O5/γ-Al 2O3 je pokazao dobra katalitička svojstva u smislu visoke selektivnosti ka etilenu. Analizirani su uticaji temperature (u opsegu 400-600°C) i vremena kontakta (u opsegu 35-85 kg s m-3) na konverziju etana i selektivnost ka etilenu. Maksimalni ostvareni prinos etilena je 18 %.