Fluidized Bed Dehydrogenation With Oxygen Carrier Hydrogen Removal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional processes for producing light olefins require high reaction temperatures, leading to high capital costs and downstream separation costs due to the need for specialty materials and additional process units, while also being inefficient in hydrogen management, resulting in high energy requirements for liquefaction and separation.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an oxygen carrier material in the dehydrogenation reaction to combust hydrogen, allowing for lower reaction temperatures and higher pressures, which reduces heat input needs and downstream separation costs, and using a dual-purpose material that acts as both a dehydrogenation catalyst and oxygen carrier to optimize the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional dehydrogenation processes are used, then light olefins can be produced, but high reaction temperatures are required leading to high capital costs
Solution Approach 1:
An oxygen carrier material is introduced as an intermediary substance that facilitates hydrogen combustion within the reactor. This mediator enables the removal of hydrogen from the dehydrogenation reaction, allowing the process to proceed at lower temperatures while maintaining product yield. The oxygen carrier acts as a bridge between the dehydrogenation reaction and hydrogen removal, solving the temperature contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational parameters of the dehydrogenation process by introducing controlled oxygen through the oxygen carrier. This parameter change (adding oxygen) fundamentally alters the reaction environment, enabling lower temperature operation while maintaining or improving conversion levels. The oxygen carrier allows the system to operate in a different parameter regime than conventional processes.
2Productivity
If high reaction temperatures are used, then dehydrogenation can proceed, but specialty materials and additional process units are required increasing capital costs
Solution Approach 1:
The oxygen carrier material serves as an intermediary that enables hydrogen combustion directly within the reactor system. This eliminates the need for separate hydrogen removal units and reduces downstream separation equipment. The mediator allows the process to achieve high conversion while simplifying the overall process configuration and reducing capital requirements for specialty materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the dehydrogenation reaction and hydrogen combustion into a single integrated process step within the same reactor. By combining these functions and using the oxygen carrier to facilitate in-situ hydrogen removal, the process eliminates the need for separate process units for hydrogen management, thereby reducing device complexity and capital costs.
3Quantity of substance
If conventional dehydrogenation is used, then olefins are produced, but hydrogen management is inefficient requiring high energy for liquefaction and separation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful effect of accumulated hydrogen (which limits conversion and requires energy-intensive separation) into a beneficial process feature. By introducing the oxygen carrier to combust hydrogen in-situ, the previously problematic hydrogen byproduct becomes a controlled intermediate that drives the equilibrium forward. This converts the energy burden of hydrogen management into a process advantage, reducing downstream separation energy requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The oxygen carrier acts as an intermediary that fundamentally changes hydrogen management from an energy-intensive separation problem to a controlled combustion process. Instead of requiring high-energy separation or liquefaction units, the mediator enables low-energy hydrogen removal through controlled combustion, dramatically reducing the energy footprint of hydrogen management while maintaining olefins production.
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 process achieves comparable conversion levels to conventional methods but with reduced capital and energy costs, smaller reactor units, and improved hydrogen management, thereby lowering overall operational expenses.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the hydrogen with an oxygen-rich oxygen carrier material in the fluidized bed reactor to combust the hydrogen and form an oxygen-diminished oxygen carrier material
Implementation Method 2
contacting the hydrogen with an oxygen-rich oxygen carrier material in the fluidized bed reactor to combust the hydrogen
Implementation Method 3
contacting the hydrocarbon feed with a dehydrogenation catalyst in the fluidized bed reactor to produce a dehydrogenated product and hydrogen
Implementation Method 4
passing a hydrocarbon feed comprising one or more alkanes or alkyl aromatics into a fluidized bed reactor, contacting the hydrocarbon feed with a dehydrogenation catalyst in the fluidized bed reactor
Data Source
AI summary
According to one or more embodiments described herein, a method for dehydrogenating hydrocarbons may include passing a hydrocarbon feed comprising one or more alkanes or alkyl aromatics into a fluidized bed reactor, contacting the hydrocarbon feed with a dehydrogenation catalyst in the fluidized bed reactor to produce a dehydrogenated product and hydrogen, and contacting the hydrogen with an oxygen-rich oxygen carrier material in the fluidized bed reactor to combust the hydrogen and form an oxygen-diminished oxygen carrier material. In additional embodiments, a dual-purpose material may be utilized which has dehydrogenation catalyst and oxygen carrying functionality.