Conversion of propane and butane

• US 5,162,598 A
• Filed: 12/30/1991
• Issued: 11/10/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zeofuels Research Limited
• Original Assignee: Zeofuels Research Limited
• Inventors: Themistocleous, Themistoclis, Copperthwaite, Richard G., Hutchings, Graham J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breneman, R. Bruce
• Application Number:
  US07/815,627
• Time in Patent Office: 316 Days
• Field of Search: 585/650, 585/651, 585/653, 585/648, 585/652, 502/60
• US Class Current: 585/651
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 29/00 Catalysts comprising molecular sieves molecular sieves per se C01B
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/06 Washing B01J37/0009, B01J37/0018 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 2529/70 of types characterised by their specific structure not provided for in groups C07C2529/08 - C07C2529/65
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 4/06 Catalytic processes C07C4/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 6/10 in hydrocarbons containing no six-membered aromatic rings

Abstract

A modified natural clinoptilolite, produced by treating a natural clinoptilolite with a suitable mineral acid or with a suitable alkali and then with a suitable mineral acid, is used as a catalyst in a process for the conversion of propane or butane to give a product containing at least 40% of ethene, propene or C₄ hydrocarbons or a mixture thereof.

Claims

1. A process for the conversion of propane to give a product containing at least 40% by weight ethene or C₄ hydrocarbons or a mixture thereof in a reactor in the presence of a modified natural clinoptilolite catalyst produced by treating a natural clinoptilolite with either (1) a mineral acid at a concentration of greater than 1M for a treatment time of longer than 24 hours or (2) alkali at a concentration greater than 0.5M for a treatment time of longer than 1 hour, washing the resulting product, and treating the resulting product with a mineral acid at a concentration of greater than 0.1M for a treatment time of longer than 1 hour which includes the steps of:

(a) feeding the propane to the reactor containing the catalyst;

(b) converting the propane to ethene or C₄ hydrocarbons or a mixture thereof in the reactor in the presence of the catalyst at a temperature of from 400°

C. to 800°

C. inclusive and a pressure of from 1 to 20 atmospheres inclusive; and

(c) recovering the product.

3. A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the modified clinoptilolite is produced by treating the natural clinoptilolite with hydrochloric acid at a concentration of from greater than 1M up to and including 5M for a treatment time of longer than 24 hours and at a treatment temperature of from 40°

C. to 80°

C. inclusive.

4. A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the modified clinoptilolite is produced by treating a natural clinoptilolite with sodium hydroxide at a concentration of from greater than 0.5M up to and including 5M, for a treatment time of longer than 1 hour up to and including 48 hours and at a treatment temperature of 30°

C. to 80°

C. inclusive, washing the resulting product, and treating the resulting product with hydrochloric acid at a concentration of greater than 0.1M up to and including 2M for a treatment time of longer than 1 hour up to and including 48 hours and at a treatment temperature of from 40°

C. to 80°

C.

5. A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the modified clinoptilolite is calcined at a calcining temperature of from 400°

C. to 500°

C. inclusive for a calcining time of from 3 hours.

6. A process according to claim 4 wherein the modified clinoptilolite is calcined at a calcining temperature of from 400°

C. to 500°

C. inclusive for a calcining time of from 3 hours.

7. A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the modified natural clinoptilolite is produced starting from a natural clinoptilolite from Zululand, South Africa.

2. A process for the conversion of butane to give a product containing at least 40% by weight of ethene or propene or a mixture thereof in a reactor in the presence of a modified natural clinoptilolite catalyst produced by treating a natural clinoptilolite with either (1) a mineral acid at a concentration of greater than 1M for a treatment time of longer than 24 hours or (2) alkali at a concentration greater than 0.5M for a treatment time of longer than 1 hour, washing the resulting product and treating the resulting product with a mineral acid at a concentration of greater than 0.1M for a treatment time of longer than 1 hour which includes the steps of:

(a) feeding the butane to the reactor containing the catalyst;

(b) converting the butane to ethene or propene or a mixture thereof in the reactor in the presence of the catalyst at a temperature of from 400°

C. to 800°

C. inclusive, and at a pressure of from 1 to 20 atmospheres inclusive; and

(c) recovering the product.