Continuous stirred tank reactor for ethylene oligomerization catalyzed by NiMCM-41

The performances of Ni-exchanged MCM-41 mesoporous material as catalyst for the ethylene oligomerization were evaluated in a pilot plant equipped with a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR). During the catalytic tests performed at 30 °C, without any start-up solvent, over 170 h on stream, the catalyst was highly active and stable to deactivation. Moreover, the reaction was very selective, resulting mainly in C4, C6, C8 and C10 olefins. The CSTR unit described in this article proved to be an effective and useful tool for performing complex catalytic studies, involving three-phase systems.

► Catalytic ethylene oligomerization was evaluated in a CSTR system.
► Ni-exchanged MCM-41 is highly active and stable to deactivation.
► The reaction was very selective in C4, C6, C8 and C10 olefins.