Ruthenium Catalyst Activation via Reducing Gas Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Catalysts used in the production of chlorine by oxidizing hydrogen chloride with oxygen experience decreased activity over time due to operational errors, equipment issues, and exposure to sulfur components, leading to reduced efficiency and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
Treating the catalyst with a reducing gas containing carbon monoxide and/or hydrogen, followed by an oxidizing gas, and optionally water, to recover and maintain catalyst activity, allowing for the reuse of the catalyst in the chlorine production process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the catalyst is treated with oxygen and/or inert gas as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-7521, then the catalyst activity can be partially recovered, but the activity recovery is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the treatment gas from oxygen/inert gas to reducing gas containing carbon monoxide and/or hydrogen. This fundamental parameter change enables effective recovery of catalyst activity by removing sulfur components through reduction reactions, thereby resolving the insufficient activity recovery problem while maintaining production efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of sulfur component exposure (which causes catalyst deactivation) into a beneficial recovery process. By using reducing gas to remove sulfur components through chemical reactions, the catalyst activity is effectively restored, transforming the harmful sulfur deposition into a removable substance that can be eliminated to regain catalyst performance
2Ease of manufacture
If the catalyst activity decreases due to sulfur component exposure and operational issues, then the production cost increases, but replacing the catalyst is expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a catalyst recovery process by treating deactivated catalyst with reducing gas to remove sulfur components and restore activity. This allows the catalyst to be recovered and reused multiple times, avoiding the high cost of catalyst replacement while maintaining production efficiency, thus resolving the contradiction between production cost and catalyst activity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the catalyst to serve itself by providing a simple treatment method using reducing gas that the catalyst can undergo to restore its own activity. This self-service approach allows the catalyst to recover from deactivation without requiring complex external intervention or replacement, reducing overall production costs while maintaining reliability
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
Effectively recovers catalyst activity, enabling cost-effective production of chlorine by reusing the activated catalyst, thereby reducing operational costs and maintaining process efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a catalyst having decreased activity is treated by contacting with a reducing gas containing carbon monoxide and/or hydrogen
Implementation Method 2
oxidizing hydrogen chloride with oxygen using the catalyst activated by the method
Data Source
AI summary
A catalyst having decreased activity is subjected to a contact treatment with a reducing gas containing carbon monoxide and/or hydrogen. Also, the catalyst can be effectively activated by being treated by contacting with an oxidizing gas after having been treated by contacting with the reducing gas. As the catalyst for production of chlorine, a ruthenium catalyst, particularly a catalyst containing ruthenium oxide is suitably activated.