FlexCat demonstrated: • Greater gravimetric yield of pro- pene (g) compared to incumbent pellet support material, realising the same yield using less catalyst mass and thus a smaller footprint (see Figure 2 ). • Higher geometric surface area enables greater mass transfer of the feedstock to the active catalyst (Pt) for increased throughput and yield per hour (> 40%) while fixing all other conditions, such as flow rate. Fibrous material that allows for dramatically increased selectivity (50%) : This translates into five - fold less benzene formation, which is critical to reducing side prod- ucts in the outlet (for easier down- stream purification) and limiting coke laydown (up to 80% reduced coke/carbon laydown after each cycle for greater long-term sup- port efficacy). Limiting coke lay - down can lengthen catalyst lifetime by preventing deactivation and blinding of the catalyst. Reducing the amount of coke laydown prior to regeneration also reduces the chances for local hotspots on the catalyst surface and subsequent permanent damage to the catalyst through sintering or reduction of pores. 2 A proven faster rate of regeneration : Thanks to limited coke build-up and a high surface area, regen- eration time is 40% faster than pellets without adjusting jacket/
Property Alumina, %
Target
Equivalent mass of FlexCat fibre yields a 50x increase in geometric surface area compared to standard pellets or spheres
96
Silica, %
4
Surface area, m 2 /g
120-140 40 000
Specific surface area, m 2 /m 3
Pore size (Å)
60-75 >0.15
Pore volume, cm 3 /g
Median fibre diameter, μm
4
Figure 1 Example of superior surface area over standard pellets
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
FlexCat 1 Cycle 1
FlexCat 1 Cycle 3
FlexCat 1 Cycle 5
FlexCat 4 Cycle 10
Pellet Cycle 1
Pellet Cycle 2
Pellet Cycle 3
Pellet Cycle 4
Figure 2 Test results depicting FlexCat’s vastly increased propene yield vs pellets
and improved run-to-run stability compared to a conventional pellet support media. Increased hourly propene yield (g/ hr.): In testing at 590°C, 2 barg, 72 ml/min with 8 to 16 hr -1 WHSV,
Strong performance in propane dehydrogenation reaction, tested under rigorous conditions: Alkegen, along with a reputable catalyst development and performance evaluation laboratory, confirmed FlexCat’s overall increase in yield
10 12 14 16 18
0.7
Sample Pellet FlexCat 1 FlexCat 2
Weight 4.0 1.2 0.5
Wt Pt 0.024 0.023 0.022
Wt Sn 0.068 0.073 0.028
Sn:Pt 3.0 3.0 1.0
0.6
0.5
100 120
0.4
0 6 4 2 8
0.3
0 20 40 60 80
0.2
0.1
0
Cycle 1
Cycle 2
Cycle 3
Cycle 4
Cycle 5
Cycle 6
Cycle 7
Cycle 8
Cycle 9
Cycle 10
Sum
Pellet
FlexCat 1 FlexCat 2
Pellet
FlexCat 1
FlexCat 2
FlexCat 4
Pellet
FlexCat 1
FlexCat 2
Figure 3 Test results demonstrating less coke/benzene formation
42 Catalysis 2022
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