Composite Catalyst Fiber Structure for Attrition Resistance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Catalysts for producing unsaturated carboxylic acids by catalytic vapor-phase oxidation have low mechanical strength and high attrition loss, leading to issues such as pressure loss, plugging of reaction tubes, and environmental and health concerns due to catalyst powder dispersion.
Innovation Solution
A supported catalyst with a molybdenum-vanadium composition containing two kinds of inorganic fibers differing in average diameter, specifically less than 1.0 µm and between 1.5 to 7 µm, is used to enhance mechanical strength and attrition resistance, while maintaining high yield production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a supported catalyst is used to reduce catalyst layer thickness and suppress side reactions, then productivity is improved, but mechanical strength deteriorates leading to high attrition loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite catalyst structure combining supported catalyst particles with inorganic fibers. The inorganic fibers act as a mechanical reinforcement matrix that holds the supported catalyst particles, providing both the high surface area needed for catalytic activity and the mechanical strength to resist attrition. This composite approach resolves the contradiction between maintaining thin catalyst layers for productivity and ensuring mechanical durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The inorganic fibers serve as an intermediary component between the supported catalyst particles and the reaction environment. These fibers provide mechanical support and structural integrity to the catalyst assembly, allowing the supported catalyst to maintain its high surface area configuration without suffering from mechanical failure. The fibers mediate between the need for thin catalyst layers and the requirement for mechanical strength.
2Reliability
If catalyst mechanical strength is improved by adding structural components, then attrition loss is reduced, but catalytic performance may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the inorganic fibers in specific regions or at specific concentrations within the catalyst structure. Rather than uniformly distributing structural components throughout, the invention optimizes the local composition to provide mechanical reinforcement only where needed, while maintaining high catalytic activity in the supported catalyst regions. This selective placement preserves catalytic performance while achieving attrition resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes parameters such as inorganic fiber concentration, fiber diameter, and fiber-to-catalyst ratio to achieve the desired balance between mechanical strength and catalytic performance. By carefully controlling these parameters, the invention ensures that the structural components provide sufficient mechanical support without excessively diluting the catalytically active material or blocking active sites, thus maintaining high productivity.
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
The catalyst exhibits improved mechanical strength and reduced attrition loss, allowing for high-yield production of unsaturated carboxylic acids with suppressed detrimental effects on catalytic performance.
Implementation Method 1
catalytic vapor-phase oxidation of unsaturated aldehyde or saturated hydrocarbon in the presence of molecular oxygen
Implementation Method 2
catalytic vapor-phase oxidation of unsaturated aldehyde or saturated hydrocarbon
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a catalyst for producing unsaturated carboxylic acid, which excels in mechanical strength and attrition loss and is capable of producing the object product at a high yield. This catalyst is formed of a catalytically active component comprising molybdenum and vanadium as the essential ingredients and inorganic fibers, which are supported on an inert carrier, said catalyst being characterized in that said inorganic fibers comprise at least an inorganic fiber having an average diameter less than 1.0 µm and another inorganic fiber having an average diameter ranging from 1.5 to 7 µm.