MTO with SAPO-34 in a Fixed-Bed Reactor: Deactivation Profiles

Methanol-to-olefins is a promising process that has attracted the attention of many research groups in the last years. Zeolites are the primary catalyst for this process, and SAPO-34 is one of the most used because of its high selectivity toward C2–C4 olefins. As a drawback, it deactivates quickly and forces the process to work alternately using reaction and regeneration cycles. The mechanism by which SAPO-34 deactivates is still on debate, and further research needs to be done. In this study, the evolution of the deactivation profile for an SAPO-34-based catalyst was studied in a fixed-bed reactor. To achieve that, the catalyst bed was extracted after each experiment and divided in sections of 2 cm. For each section, CO2 adsorption, thermogravimetric analysis, and ammonia temperature-programmed desorption were performed.