On the use of fluidized bed catalytic reactors where reduction and oxidation zones are present simultaneously

Fluidized bed reactors where separate oxidation and reduction zones are present in the same vessel have been developed in our laboratory and applied to different processes during the last decade. This type of reactors constitutes an alternative to the use of two different reactors or of a single reactor with periodic operation. The advantages of the dual-zone fluidized bed reactor have been proven in processes such as oxidative coupling of methane, oxidative dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons, butane oxidation to maleic anhydride or dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons with simultaneous catalyst regeneration in the same vessel. In this manuscript the advantages and limitations of this type of reactor are discussed.