Regeneration of catalyst
AssigneeVelocys Technologies Limited
InventorsSoumitra R. Deshmukh, Ivan Philip Greager, Roger Allen Harris, Heinz Robota
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Abstract
A catalyst is regenerated by an inventive process using a heat exchange fluid such as superheated steam to remove heat during the process relying on efficient heat transfer (e.g., enabled by the microchannel reactor construction) in comparison with prior art heat exchange relying on a phase change, e.g. between water and (partial or complete vaporization) steam, allows simplification of the protocols to enable transition at higher temperatures between steps which translates in reduced duration of the regeneration process and avoids potential water hammering risks.
Claims22
A process for regeneration of a catalyst in situ in a microchannel reactor, provided with heat exchange channels, the process comprising:
- a) de-waxing the catalyst by treating it at an elevated temperature with a hydrogen containing de-waxing gas stream flowing through process microchannels of the reactor;
- b) oxidising the resulting de-waxed catalyst by treating it at an elevated temperature with an oxidising gas stream flowing through process microchannels of the reactor, and
- c) reducing the resulting oxidised catalyst by treating it at an elevated temperature with a reducing gas stream flowing through process microchannels of the reactor,
- wherein:
- in the transition from step a) to step b) the temperature inside the process microchannels and/or the heat exchange channels is lowered from a temperature sufficient for de-waxing to a first lower limit value of 90° C. or greater;
- in step b) the temperature inside the process microchannels and/or the heat exchange channels is raised to a temperature sufficient to oxidise the catalyst;
- in the transition from step b) to step c) the temperature inside the process microchannels and/or the heat exchange channels is lowered from a temperature sufficient for oxidation to a first lower limit value of 90° C. or greater;
- and in step c) the temperature inside the process microchannels and/or the heat exchange channels is then raised to a value sufficient to reduce the catalyst;
- the temperature inside the process microchannels and/or the heat exchange channels being controlled by heat exchange fluid flowing through the heat exchange channels of the microchannel reactor without the whole of the heat exchange fluid undergoing a phase change.
A process for regeneration of a catalyst in situ in a microchannel reactor, provided with heat exchange channels, the process comprising:
- x) oxidising the catalyst by treating it at an elevated temperature with an oxidising gas stream flowing through process microchannels of the reactor, and
- y) reducing the resulting oxidised catalyst by treating it at an elevated temperature with a reducing gas stream flowing through process microchannels of the reactor,
- wherein:
- in step x) the temperature inside the process microchannels and/or the heat exchange channels is raised to a temperature sufficient to oxidise the catalyst;
- in the transition from step x) to step y) the temperature inside the process microchannels and/or the heat exchange channels is lowered from a temperature sufficient for oxidation to a first lower limit value of 90° C. or greater;
- and in step y) the temperature inside the process microchannels and/or the heat exchange channels is then raised to a value sufficient to reduce the catalyst;
- the temperature inside the process microchannels and/or the heat exchange channels being controlled by heat exchange fluid flowing through the heat exchange channels of the microchannel reactor without the whole of the heat exchange fluid undergoing a phase change.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.