Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Dehydrogenation of dehydrogenatable hydrocarbons

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6091239

This patent describes a process for the dehydrogenation of a dehydrogenatable hydrocarbon with separate and intermediate selective oxidation of hydrogen which comprises the steps of: (a) contacting the hydrocarbon with a dehydrogenation catalyst comprising an alkaline metal-promoted iron compound in a first-reaction dehydrogenation zone in the presence of steam at dehydrogenation conditions to produce a first-reaction dehydrogenation zone effluent stream comprising a mixture of unconverted hydrocarbons, dehydrogenated hydrocarbons, hydrogen and steam; (b) removing the first-reaction dehydrogenation zone effluent from the first-reaction dehydrogenation zone; (c) passing the effluent of step (b) to a second-reaction oxidation zone, which is separate and discrete from the first-reaction dehydrogenation zone; (d) contacting the first-reaction dehydrogenation zone effluent in the second-reaction oxidation zone with an oxygen-containing gas to selectively oxidize the hydrogen; (e) withdrawing the unconverted and dehydrogenated hydrocarbons from the second-reaction oxidation zone having an increased temperature with respect to the temperature of the first-reaction dehydrogenation zone effluent; (f) passing the removed second-reaction oxidation zone product stream of step (e) to a third-reaction dehydrogenation zone containing a dehydrogenation catalyst comprising an alkaline metal promoted iron compound at dehydrogenation conditions to produce dehydrogenated hydrocarbons; and, (g) withdrawing and recovering the dehydrogenated hydrocarbons, the improvement which comprises utilizing as the support a cerium-containing alumina.

Assignee:
UOP Inc., Des Plaines, IL
Patent Number(s):
US 4691071
OSTI ID:
6091239
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English