Catalyst regeneration
AssigneeStauffer Chemical Company
InventorsRobert J. Blake, Guy W. Roy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The active life of an oxychlorination copper-containing catalyst is extended by the removal of sulfur-containing compounds from the gases fed to the catalyst reaction zone. A copper-containing oxychlorination catalyst which has been deactivated by the deposition of sulfur compounds thereon is reactivated in situ by operating the catalyst bed in an oxygen-free atmosphere for a sufficient period of time. The reactivation of the catalyst is completed when the conversions of hydrocarbon and chlorinating agent to chlorinated products indicate a high level of catalyst activity, as determined by an analysis of the gaseous effluent leaving the catalyst bed.
Claims4
In a process for the oxychlorination of hydrocarbons in an oxychlorination reaction zone, containing a copper catalyst bed, maintained in a fluidized state at a temperature between about 350.degree. and about 550.degree. C. and a pressure between about zero and about 200 psig wherein a gaseous mixture is fed to said zone, said mixture comprising a hydrocarbon having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a chlorinating agent selected from the group consisting of hydrogen chloride, chlorine, or a chlorine-hydrogen chloride mixture, an oxygen-containing gas, said mixture containing less than 1000 ppm of sulfur in the form of sulfur containing compounds such as H.sub.2 S, SO.sub.2 and SO.sub.3 which progressively deactivate the catalyst, the improvement which comprises:
- maintaining the catalyst bed in a fluidized condition while discontinuing the flow of oxygen-containing gas and maintaining the oxychlorination reaction zone at a temperature between about 400.degree. and about 525.degree. C. for a period of time sufficient to remove deposited sulfur material whereby reactivation said catalyst.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.