Copper on Carbon Catalyst for Selective Di-Olefin Hydrogenation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing copper catalysts for selective hydrogenation of polyunsaturated hydrocarbon compounds, such as di-olefins and alkynes, face issues with activity and stability, particularly in the presence of mono-olefins, requiring additional promoters or purging steps to maintain performance over time.
Innovation Solution
A catalyst comprising copper on a carbon-containing support, which achieves high selectivity and stability for di-olefin hydrogenation over mono-olefin hydrogenation without the need for promoter metals or frequent purging, through a process involving impregnation, thermal decomposition, and reduction under controlled conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional copper catalysts are used for selective hydrogenation of di-olefins, then di-olefin removal efficiency is improved, but catalyst stability and activity are reduced due to carbonaceous by-product deposition
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes carbonaceous by-products from the catalyst surface through periodic purging with oxygen-containing gas, preventing their accumulation that would otherwise deactivate the catalyst. This maintains catalyst stability while preserving di-olefin removal efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical environment by introducing oxygen-containing gas during purging cycles, which oxidizes and removes carbonaceous deposits. This parameter change (from inert to oxidative atmosphere) restores catalyst activity without affecting the copper catalyst's inherent selectivity for di-olefin hydrogenation.
2Productivity
If promoter metals are added to copper catalysts to improve activity, then hydrogenation activity is enhanced, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a simple copper catalyst without expensive promoter metals, accepting that the catalyst will deactivate over time and can be regenerated through purging or replaced. This eliminates the complexity of formulating multi-metal catalysts while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The catalyst system is designed to be self-regenerating through periodic purging with oxygen-containing gas, which removes carbonaceous deposits and restores activity. This eliminates the need for promoter metals to maintain activity, simplifying catalyst composition.
3Reliability
If frequent purging steps are implemented to maintain catalyst performance, then catalyst stability is improved, but processing time and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements periodic purging cycles with oxygen-containing gas to remove carbonaceous by-products accumulated during hydrogenation. This periodic maintenance restores catalyst activity without requiring continuous interruption, balancing stability with processing efficiency.
4Productivity
If palladium catalysts are used instead of copper to improve activity, then hydrogenation activity is enhanced, but selectivity for alkynes over di-olefins and mono-olefins is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the catalyst material from palladium to copper, which has inherently different adsorption properties. Copper's weaker adsorption of mono-olefins compared to di-olefins and alkynes provides the desired selectivity, while the periodic purging maintains activity by removing carbonaceous deposits.
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 copper on carbon catalyst exhibits enhanced long-term stability and selectivity for di-olefin hydrogenation, maintaining performance over prolonged operation times and reducing di-olefin contamination in mono-olefin streams, outperforming conventional copper catalysts.
Implementation Method 1
a catalyst comprising copper and carbon and the use thereof in a process for the selective hydrogenation of polyunsaturates
Implementation Method 2
selective hydrogenation of polyunsaturated hydrocarbon compounds, such as di-olefins and alkynes
Implementation Method 3
Stronger adsorption of acetylene than ethylene functional groups on copper surfaces has been proposed as being crucial for the selective partial hydrogenation
Implementation Method 4
a method of preparing the catalyst
Implementation Method 5
heating the impregnated support from (a) under a non-reducing atmosphere to decompose the compound containing copper
Implementation Method 6
reducing the metal on the support at a temperature of from 100° C. to 500° C.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a process for the hydrogenation of polyunsaturated hydrocarbon compounds, in particular di-olefins and alkynes, more particularly di-olefins, said process comprising contacting a feed comprising one or more polyunsaturated hydrocarbon compounds with a catalyst comprising copper and carbon in the presence of hydrogen, preferably wherein the catalyst is a copper catalyst on a carbon-containing support. The present invention also provides a process for producing a copper catalyst on a carbon-containing support and the use of a copper catalyst on a carbon-containing support to increase the selectivity towards di-olefin hydrogenation over mono-olefin hydrogenation in a process for hydrogenation of one or more di-olefins.