Selective hydrogenation methods and catalysts

US11623902B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• CLARIANT INTERNATIONAL LTD · CH

Inventors

• Darren Adams · The Woodlands, US
• Mingyong Sun · Louisville, US
• Uwe Duerr · Germering, DE
• Denise R. Cooper · St. Petersburg, US
• Brian H. Heasley · Wake Forest, US
• Ling Xu · Potomac, US
• Tina Clinton · Louisville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 22, 2019
• Grant date: Apr 11, 2023
• Expiry date: Oct 22, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P20/52
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods for selectively hydrogenating acetylene, to methods for starting up a selective hydrogenation reactor, and to hydrogenation catalysts useful in such methods. In one aspect, the disclosure provides a method for selectively hydrogenating acetylene, the method comprising contacting a catalyst composition with a process gas. The catalyst composition comprises a porous support, palladium, and one or more ionic liquids. The process gas includes ethylene, present in the process gas in an amount of at least 20 mol. %; and acetylene, present in the process gas in an amount of at least 1 ppm. At least 90% of the acetylene present in the process gas is hydrogenated, and the selective hydrogenation is conducted without thermal runaway. Notably, the process gas is contacted with the catalyst at a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) based on total catalyst volume in one bed or multiple beds of at least 7,100 h−1.