Chemical Looping Catalyst for Hydrocarbon Cracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydrocarbon processing technologies for producing light olefins, such as steam cracking and catalytic cracking, are energy-intensive, sensitive to feed variations, and lack control over propylene to ethylene ratios, leading to inefficiencies and environmental concerns.
Innovation Solution
A chemical looping system using a heterogeneous catalyst with a metal oxide heat-generating component in a moving catalyst bed reactor, where reduction and oxidation reactions generate heat to crack hydrocarbons efficiently, producing olefins and aromatics while regenerating the catalyst.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If steam cracking is used to produce light olefins, then high conversion is achieved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The catalyst performs dual function: it catalyzes the cracking reaction and simultaneously generates heat through redox reactions. The heat-generating component (metal oxide) is reduced by hydrocarbon cracking products and then re-oxidized in a regenerator, creating self-sustaining heat that drives the endothermic cracking reaction without external energy input
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the cracking catalyst with a heat-generating metal oxide component into a single heterogeneous catalyst system. This merged catalyst performs both catalytic cracking and heat generation functions simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate heating systems and reducing overall energy consumption
2Power
If excess air is injected to promote complete combustion in the regenerator, then heat generation increases, but side reactions and operating costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the oxygen supply step from the combustion process by using a controlled regenerator that supplies limited oxygen. The metal oxide is re-oxidized with controlled oxygen input, generating heat without the excessive air injection that causes harmful side reactions. The heat is then transferred to the cracking reactor separately
3Temperature
If torch oil is injected to provide additional thermal energy, then heat supply increases, but non-oxidized cracked products form causing hot spots and catalyst damage
Solution Approach 1:
The catalyst's heat-generating component undergoes controlled reduction by hydrocarbon products and subsequent re-oxidation in the regenerator, generating heat internally without requiring external fuel injection. This self-sustaining process eliminates torch oil injection and its associated harmful effects while maintaining necessary reaction temperatures
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances energy efficiency, reduces energy consumption, and provides better control over product ratios, addressing the inefficiencies and environmental concerns of existing methods by utilizing heat generated from reduction and oxidation reactions to drive hydrocarbon cracking.
Implementation Method 1
reducing the metal oxide heat-generating component of the heterogeneous catalyst to generate heat
Implementation Method 2
reducing the metal oxide heat-generating component of the heterogeneous catalyst (the metal oxides can be reduced by hydrogen or other cracking product (light olefins and paraffins)) to generate heat
Implementation Method 3
oxidize the reduced metal oxide component of the heterogeneous catalyst, and simultaneously burn the coke deposited on the catalyst during the cracking process
Implementation Method 4
burn the coke deposited on the catalyst during the cracking process using an oxygen containing gaseous feed (O2, Air, or the like). Both processes, (i.e., coke burning and metal oxide re-oxidation) generate heat
Implementation Method 5
cracking the hydrocarbon-containing feed stream in the presence of the heterogeneous catalyst of the moving catalyst bed reactor to yield a product stream comprising olefins, aromatics, and hydrogen
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of chemical looping include introducing a hydrocarbon-containing feed stream into a first reaction zone. The first reaction zone includes a moving catalyst bed reactor. The moving catalyst bed reactor includes a heterogeneous catalyst, and the heterogeneous catalyst includes a heat-generating metal oxide component. The method further includes cracking the hydrocarbon-containing feed stream in the presence of the heterogeneous catalyst of the moving catalyst bed reactor, reducing the metal oxide heat-generating component of the heterogeneous catalyst with hydrogen from a product stream to generate heat, and utilizing the heat to drive additional cracking of the hydrocarbon-containing feed stream. A chemical looping system includes at least one reduction reactor, which includes a moving catalyst bed reactor and a heterogeneous catalyst, and at least one oxidation reactor fluidly coupled to the reduction reactor.