Pressure-tuned solid catalyzed heterogeneous chemical reactions

A method of conducting a heterogeneous chemical reaction comprising the steps of:

• introducing one or more heterogeneous reactant(s) and a co-solvent or diluent into a reactor to form a reactant mixture comprising said reactants and the reaction products of the reaction, and causing said reactant(s) to react therein to yield a reaction mixture in the presence of a solid catalyst susceptible to deactivation owing to coke laydown during the course of said reaction,
• said reaction being carried out under substantially steady state near- or supercritical reaction conditions for the reactant mixture, said near- or supercritical reaction conditions comprising a temperature of from about 0.9-1.3 Tc of the reactant mixture and a pressure of from about 0.9-2.5 Pc of the reactant mixture;
• regenerating said catalyst of coke during the course of said reaction, including the steps of interrupting said chemical reaction by terminating said introduction of at least one of said reactant(s) into said reactor prior to a time when the catalyst is significantly deactivated, and regenerating said catalyst by elevating the pressure within said reactor and/or lowering the reactor temperature to effect at least partial removal of coke from said catalyst;
• and
• resuming said chemical reaction by again introducing said reactant(s) into the reactor, and reestablishing said substantially steady state conditions.

A method of conducting a heterogeneous chemical reaction comprising the steps of:

• introducing one or more heterogeneous reactant(s) and a co-solvent or diluent into a reactor to form a reactant mixture, and causing said reactant(s) to react therein to yield a reaction mixture in the presence of a solid catalyst susceptible to deactivation owing to coke laydown during the course of said reaction,
• said reaction being carried out under substantially steady state near- or supereritical reaction conditions for the reactant mixture, said near- or supercritical reaction conditions comprising a temperature of from about 0.9-1.3 Tc of the reactant mixture and a pressure of from about 0.9-2.5 Pc of the reactant mixture;
• regenerating said catalyst of coke during the course of said reaction, including the steps of interrupting said chemical reaction by terminating said introduction of at least one of said reactant(s) into said reactor prior to a time when the catalyst is significantly deactivated, and regenerating said catalyst by lowering the reactor temperature to effect at least partial removal of coke from said catalyst;
• and
• resuming said chemical reaction by again introducing said reactant(s) into the reactor, and reestablishing said substantially steady state conditions.

A method of conducting a heterogeneous alkylation reaction, said reaction including isoparaffin, an olefin, and a molar excess of an inert co-solvent or diluent as reactants, said method comprising the steps of:

• introducing one or more heterogeneous reactant(s) and a co-solvent or diluent into a reactor to form a reactant mixture, and causing said reactant(s) to react therein to yield a reaction mixture in the presence of a solid catalyst susceptible to deactivation owing to coke laydown during the course of said reaction,
• said reaction being carried out under substantially steady state near- or supercritical reaction conditions for the reactant mixture, said near- or supercritical reaction conditions comprising a temperature of from about 0.9-1.3 Tc of the reactant mixture and a pressure of from about 0.9-2.5 Pc of the reactant mixture;
• regenerating said catalyst of coke during the course of said reaction, including the steps of interrupting said chemical reaction by terminating said introduction of at least one of said reactant(s) into said reactor prior to a time when the catalyst is significantly deactivated, and regenerating said catalyst by elevating the pressure within said reactor and/or lowering the reactor temperature to effect at least partial removal of coke from said catalyst;
• and
• resuming said chemical reaction by again introducing said reactant(s) into the reactor, and reestablishing said substantially steady state conditions.

A method of conducting a heterogeneous chemical reaction comprising the steps of:

• introducing one or more heterogeneous reactant(s) and a co-solvent or diluent into a reactor to form a reactant mixture, and causing said reactant(s) to react therein to yield a reaction mixture in the presence of a solid catalyst susceptible to deactivation owing to coke laydown during the course of said reaction,
• said reaction being carried out under substantially steady state near- or supereritical reaction conditions for the reactant mixture, said near- or supercritical reaction conditions comprising a temperature of from about 0.9-1.3 Tc of the reactant mixture and a pressure of from about 0.9-2.5 Pc of the reactant mixture;
• regenerating said catalyst of coke during the course of said reaction, including the steps of interrupting said chemical reaction by terminating said introduction of at least one of said reactant(s) into said reactor prior to a time when the catalyst is significantly deactivated, and regenerating said catalyst by increasing the density of said reaction mixture to effect at least partial removal of coke from said catalyst;
• and
• resuming said chemical reaction by again introducing said reactant(s) into the reactor, and reestablishing said substantially steady state conditions.