Study of Propane Dehydrogenation to Propylene in an Integrated Fluidized Bed Reactor Using Pt-Sn/Al-SAPO-34 Novel Catalyst

Direct propane dehydrogenation is the most economical route to propylene, but very complex due to endothermic reaction requirements, equilibrium limitations, stereochemistry, and engineering constraints. The state of the art idea of bimodal particle (gas−solid−solid) fluidization was applied, in order to overcome alkane dehydrogenation reaction barriers in a fluidized bed technology. In this study, the propane dehydrogenation reaction was studied in an integrated fluidized bed reactor, using Pt-Sn/Al-SAPO-34 novel catalyst at 590 °C. The results of fixed bed microreactor and integrated bimodal particle fluidized bed reactors were compared and parametrically characterized. The results showed that the propylene selectivity is over 95%, with conversion between 31 and 24%. This significant enhancement is by using novel bimodal particle fluidization system, owing to uniform heat transfer throughout the reactor and transfer coke from principal catalyst to secondary catalyst, which increases principal catalyst's stability. Experimental investigation reveals that the novel Pt-Sn/Al-SAPO-34 catalyst and proposed intensified design of fluidized bed reactor is a promising opportunity for direct propane dehydrogenation to propylene, with both economic and operational benefit.