VPO Catalyst Solvent Treatment for Maleic Anhydride
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing VPO catalysts for maleic anhydride production are sensitive to preparation conditions and have limited catalytic performance, despite improvements through dopant addition and catalyst structure modification, indicating a need for enhanced processing techniques.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the selection of an active VPO catalyst without added pore builders, followed by contacting with organic solvents having specific dielectric constants, to improve catalyst performance, which includes calcination and subsequent treatment with fluids at controlled temperatures and pressures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dopant addition and catalyst structure modification are used to improve catalytic performance, then activity and selectivity are enhanced, but catalyst complexity and sensitivity to preparation conditions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the organic solvent (specifically dielectric constant within range 5-55) and processing parameters (temperature from room temperature to 100°C above boiling point) to improve catalyst performance without adding dopants or modifying catalyst structure, thereby avoiding increased complexity
2Area of stationary object
If pore builders are added during catalyst preparation, then catalyst porosity and surface area are improved, but catalyst purity and simplicity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes pore builders from the catalyst preparation process entirely, selecting an active VPO catalyst without added pore builders, and instead uses organic solvent treatment to achieve the desired porosity and surface area without compromising catalyst purity
Solution Approach 2:
The organic solvent acts as an intermediary substance that modifies catalyst pore structure and surface properties without being permanently incorporated into the catalyst, allowing porosity improvement while maintaining purity
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 process enhances the yield, selectivity, and conversion performance of the VPO catalyst, leading to improved maleic anhydride production, with specific examples demonstrating yield increases of up to 5% in micro-reactor tests and 2.5% in pilot-scale reactors compared to commercially available catalysts.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the active VPO catalyst with one or more fluids comprising an organic solvent having a dielectric constant within a range of 5 to 55 when measured at a temperature of 20 °C to 25 °C, wherein the contacting is carried out at room temperature to 100°C above the boiling point of the fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A process for preparing a catalyst by selecting an active catalyst and contacting the active catalyst with one or more fluids containing an organic solvent or mixture of organic solvents. In one embodiment, each organic solvent has a dielectric constant within a range of about 5 to about 55 when measured at a temperature of 20 °C to 25 °C. The catalyst thus prepared may be used in a process for preparing maleic anhydride.