Propane Dehydrogenation over a Commercial Pt-Sn/Al2O3 Catalyst for Isobutane Dehydrogenation: Optimization of Reaction Conditions

The applicability of a commercial Pt-Sn/Al2O3 isobutane dehydrogenation catalyst in dehydrogenation of propane was studied. Catalyst performance tests were carried out in a fixed-bed quartz reactor under different operating conditions. Generally, as the factors improving propane conversion decrease the propylene selectivity, the optimal operating condition to maximize propylene yield is expected. The optimal condition was obtained by the experimental design method. The investigated parameters were temperature, hydrogen/hydrocarbon (H2/HC) ratio and space velocity, being changed in three levels. Constrains such as the susceptibility of the catalyst components to sintering or phase transformation were also taken into account. Activity, selectivity and stability of the catalyst were considered as the measured response factors, while the space-time-yield (STY) was considered as the variable to be optimized due to its commercial interest. A STY of 16 mol·kg−1·h−1 was achieved under the optimal conditions of T=620 °C, H2/HC=0.6 and, weight hourly space velocity (WHSV)=2.2 h−1. Single carbon-carbon bond rupture was found to be the main route for the formation of lower hydrocarbon byproducts.