Oxidative dehydrogenation catalysts for converting lower paraffins to alkenes such as ethane to ethylene when prepared as an agglomeration, for example extruded with supports comprising slurries of Nb.sub.2O.sub.5.

Methods of preparing unsaturated compounds or analogs through dehydrogenation of corresponding saturated compounds and/or hydrogenation of aromatic compounds are disclosed.

The invention relates to a process for preparing a catalyst for alkane oxidative dehydrogenation and/or alkene oxidation, which catalyst is a mixed metal oxide catalyst containing molybdenum, vanadium, niobium and optionally tellurium, wherein the process comprises: a) preparing a catalyst precursor containing molybdenum, vanadium, niobium and optionally tellurium; b) optionally contacting the catalyst precursor obtained in step a) with oxygen and/or an inert gas at an elevated temperature; c) contacting the catalyst precursor obtained in step a) or step b) with a gas mixture comprising ammonia and water, which gas mixture further comprises oxygen and/or an inert gas, at an elevated temperature; and d) optionally contacting the catalyst precursor obtained in step c) with an inert gas at an elevated temperature. Further, the invention relates to a catalyst obtainable by said process and to a process of the oxidative dehydrogenation of an alkane containing 2 to 6 carbon atoms and/or the oxidation of an alkene containing 2 to 6 carbon atoms wherein said catalyst is used.

The invention relates to a process for preparing a catalyst for alkane oxidative dehydrogenation and/or alkene oxidation, which catalyst is a mixed metal oxide catalyst containing molybdenum, vanadium, niobium and optionally tellurium, wherein the process comprises: a) preparing a catalyst precursor containing molybdenum, vanadium, niobium and optionally tellurium; b) optionally contacting the catalyst precursor obtained in step a) with oxygen and/or an inert gas at an elevated temperature; c) contacting the catalyst precursor obtained in step a) or step b) with a gas mixture comprising ammonia and water, which gas mixture further comprises oxygen and/or an inert gas, at an elevated temperature; and d) optionally contacting the catalyst precursor obtained in step c) with an inert gas at an elevated temperature. Further, the invention relates to a catalyst obtainable by said process and to a process of the oxidative dehydrogenation of an alkane containing 2 to 6 carbon atoms and/or the oxidation of an alkene containing 2 to 6 carbon atoms wherein said catalyst is used.

The present disclosure provides processes to convert paraffins to corresponding olefins and or heavier hydrocarbons. In at least one embodiment, a process includes introducing, at a temperature of from about 50° C. to about 500° C., a hydrocarbon feed comprising paraffins to a first metal oxide comprising one or more group 1 to group 17 metal and one or more oxygen. The process includes obtaining a product mixture comprising one or more C3-C50 cyclic olefins, one or more C2-C50 acyclic olefins, one or more C5-C200 hydrocarbons, such as one or more C5-C100 hydrocarbons, or a mixture thereof. In at least one embodiment, the product mixture is substantially free of H2 (e.g., <500 ppm). The introducing can reduce the first metal oxide to form a second metal oxide. Processes may include introducing the second metal oxide to an oxidizing agent to form the first metal oxide.

A fixed bed reactor system for the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane, comprising a catalyst bed wherein the catalyst capacity profile increases along the length of catalyst bed from the upstream end to the downstream end. The catalyst bed may include one or more sections, across one or more fixed bed reactors, that are identified by a change in catalyst capacity. Catalyst capacity, or the ability to convert ethane into ethylene, may be altered by changing the dilution ratio, void fraction, and or the 35% conversion temperature. A method for loading a fixed bed reactor with an increasing catalyst capacity is also described.

The product distribution from an oxidative dehydrogenation process can be altered by co-feeding different ratios of ethanol to steam, in the range of 0.01 to 0.50 ethanol:steam to an oxidative dehydrogenation reactor. Increasing the ethanol to steam ratio was found to: increase ethylene yield; decrease acetic acid yield; increase, or decrease, or cause no effect on CO or CO.sub.2 yield; and have negligible effect on ethane conversion. The feed ethanol is converted to carbonaceous products without negatively effecting the catalyst activity.

As part of an integrated oxidative alkane dehydrogenation and hydrogen generation process, carbon dioxide from Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) off gas stream of Hydrogen Generation Unit (HGU), and alkane from any known source are sent to oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) unit for producing high value olefins, such as ethylene, propylene and butenes. Products formed from ODH reactor are separated and the stream comprising of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and methane are recycled to Shift reactor of HGU unit for enhanced production of hydrogen at PSA.

As part of an integrated oxidative alkane dehydrogenation and hydrogen generation process, carbon dioxide from Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) off gas stream of Hydrogen Generation Unit (HGU), and alkane from any known source are sent to oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) unit for producing high value olefins, such as ethylene, propylene and butenes. Products formed from ODH reactor are separated and the stream comprising of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and methane are recycled to Shift reactor of HGU unit for enhanced production of hydrogen at PSA.

Disclosed is a method of producing an olefin using a circulating fluidized bed process, including: (a) supplying a hydrocarbon mixture including propane and a dehydrogenation catalyst to a riser which is in a state of a fast fluidization regime, and thus inducing a dehydrogenation reaction; (b) separating an effluent from the dehydrogenation reaction into the catalyst and a propylene mixture; (c) stripping, in which a residual hydrocarbon compound is removed from the catalyst separated in step (b); (d) mixing the catalyst stripped in step (c) with a gas containing oxygen and thus continuously regenerating the catalyst; (e) circulating the catalyst regenerated in step (d) to step (a) and thus resupplying the catalyst to the riser; and (f) cooling, compressing, and separating the propylene mixture, which is a reaction product separated in step (b), and thus producing a propylene product.