CuO/Al2O3 Catalyst Alkyne Cracking Selectivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current processes for removing alkyne compounds from hydrocarbon streams, particularly those containing olefinic compounds, face challenges in achieving high catalytic activity and selectivity, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs, especially in commercial processes where specific feedstock compositions are involved.
Innovation Solution
The use of supported copper oxide catalysts with modified supports and promoters, such as silver, platinum, and alumina, to enhance catalytic activity and selectivity, allowing for the efficient cracking of alkynes at lower reaction temperatures and specific conditions tailored to various commercial processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional cracking processes are used to remove alkynes from olefinic mixtures, then alkyne removal is achieved, but catalytic activity and selectivity are insufficient leading to inefficiencies and increased costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the physical and chemical parameters of the catalyst support (surface area, pore structure, acidity) and catalyst composition (metal loading, promoter addition) to enhance catalytic activity. Specifically, using high-surface-area alumina supports with controlled pore sizes and adding promoters like silver or zinc oxide creates optimal conditions for alkyne cracking while maintaining olefin selectivity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite catalyst systems combining copper oxide with other metal oxides (silver oxide, zinc oxide, zirconia) on alumina supports. These composite materials synergistically improve catalytic activity for alkyne removal while maintaining selectivity toward olefins, addressing the insufficient catalytic performance of conventional single-component catalysts
2Productivity
If higher reaction temperatures are used to increase cracking activity, then alkyne removal efficiency improves, but selectivity decreases leading to more olefin loss
Solution Approach 1:
The catalyst design creates localized active sites with specific properties through promoter addition and support modification. The promoters create localized regions of optimized acidity and metal dispersion that selectively activate alkyne molecules without affecting olefins, enabling high removal efficiency at lower temperatures with minimal olefin loss
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes reaction temperature parameters in conjunction with catalyst composition parameters to achieve the desired selectivity-activity balance. By lowering the reaction temperature using the enhanced catalyst, the process achieves high alkyne removal efficiency while preventing olefin cracking that would occur at higher temperatures
3Reliability
If catalyst regeneration cycles are performed frequently to maintain activity, then catalyst performance is sustained, but process time and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The catalyst formulation incorporates materials and structures that provide inherent resistance to deactivation mechanisms. The stable alumina support and promoter combinations create a more robust catalyst that maintains activity longer, cushioning against rapid deactivation and reducing the frequency required regeneration cycles
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 results in a significant increase in the removal of alkyne compounds with minimal loss of other olefins, achieving high selectivity and conversion while maintaining catalyst activity over multiple regeneration cycles, thus improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the process.
Implementation Method 1
catalytically cracking a hydrocarbons stream that includes C 4 olefins and di-olefins, C 5 olefins and di-olefins, isoprene, and up to 3 wt.% alkynes with a supported CuO catalyst under conditions sufficient to crack the alkynes to organic compounds
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
Processes to selectively crack alkyne compounds from a hydrocarbon stream including olefinic and di-olefinic compounds are described. The process includes contacting the hydrocarbon stream with a supported CuO catalyst under conditions sufficient to crack the alkynes to form a product stream that included cracked compounds and further separating the cracked organic compounds from the hydrocarbon stream.