A catalyst comprising palladium, a porous support comprising at least one refractory oxide selected from the group constituted by silica, alumina and silica-alumina, the palladium content in the catalyst being in the range 0.01% to 2% by weight with respect to the total catalyst weight, at least 80% by weight of the palladium being distributed in a crust at the periphery of said support, the thickness of said crust being in the range 20 to 100 m, characterized in that said support is in the form of an extrudate and in that said support comprises a specific surface area in the range 165 to 250 m.sup.2/g.

A catalyst comprising palladium, a porous support comprising at least one refractory oxide selected from the group constituted by silica, alumina and silica-alumina, the palladium content in the catalyst being in the range 0.01% to 2% by weight with respect to the total catalyst weight, at least 80% by weight of the palladium being distributed in a crust at the periphery of said support, the thickness of said crust being in the range 20 to 100 m, characterized in that said support is in the form of an extrudate and in that said support comprises a specific surface area in the range 165 to 250 m.sup.2/g.

A catalyst comprises an active phase constituted by palladium, and a porous support comprising at least one refractory oxide selected from the group constituted by silica, alumina and silica-alumina, in which: the palladium content in the catalyst is in the range 0.0025% to 1% by weight with respect to the total weight of catalyst; at least 80% by weight of the palladium is distributed in a crust at the periphery of the porous support, the thickness of said crust being in the range 25 to 450 m; the specific surface area of the porous support is in the range 70 to 160 m.sup.2/g; the metallic dispersion D of the palladium is less than 20%.

A catalyst comprises an active phase constituted by palladium, and a porous support comprising at least one refractory oxide selected from the group constituted by silica, alumina and silica-alumina, in which: the palladium content in the catalyst is in the range 0.0025% to 1% by weight with respect to the total weight of catalyst; at least 80% by weight of the palladium is distributed in a crust at the periphery of the porous support, the thickness of said crust being in the range 25 to 450 m; the specific surface area of the porous support is in the range 70 to 160 m.sup.2/g; the metallic dispersion D of the palladium is less than 20%.

This invention relates to a process and an apparatus for producing a mixed feed stream for a steam reforming plant from a first feed stream containing methane and a second feed stream comprising higher hydrocarbons, olefins and diolefins. According to the invention, the required hydrogenation of the mono- and diolefins and the hydrodesulfurization of the organic sulfur compounds contained in the feed stream are carried out step by step under process conditions optimized in each case. Furthermore, the inlet temperature into the respective reaction zone is controlled such that overheating of the feedstocks is avoided, which otherwise leads to undesired coke deposits, cloggings and the accelerated deactivation of the catalysts used.

This invention relates to a process and an apparatus for producing a mixed feed stream for a steam reforming plant from a first feed stream containing methane and a second feed stream comprising higher hydrocarbons, olefins and diolefins. According to the invention, the required hydrogenation of the mono- and diolefins and the hydrodesulfurization of the organic sulfur compounds contained in the feed stream are carried out step by step under process conditions optimized in each case. Furthermore, the inlet temperature into the respective reaction zone is controlled such that overheating of the feedstocks is avoided, which otherwise leads to undesired coke deposits, cloggings and the accelerated deactivation of the catalysts used.

A process for the hydrotreatment of a fuel gas stream containing up to 15% olefins comprises the steps of introducing the fuel gas stream into at least one co-current reactor, where the stream is split into two flow fractions, of which one fraction is routed through an olefin treatment section, while the other fraction is routed through another section, subjecting the sections to heat exchange, combining the two flows, thereby equalizing temperatures and compositions, cooling the combined flow over a heat exchanger and reacting the combined flow to equilibrium in an adiabatic hydrotreatment reactor. A second co-current reactor with intercooling arranged in series after the first cocurrent reactor and before the final adiabatic reactor is used if the fuel gas stream contains more than 8% olefins.

A process for the hydrotreatment of a fuel gas stream containing up to 15% olefins comprises the steps of introducing the fuel gas stream into at least one co-current reactor, where the stream is split into two flow fractions, of which one fraction is routed through an olefin treatment section, while the other fraction is routed through another section, subjecting the sections to heat exchange, combining the two flows, thereby equalizing temperatures and compositions, cooling the combined flow over a heat exchanger and reacting the combined flow to equilibrium in an adiabatic hydrotreatment reactor. A second co-current reactor with intercooling arranged in series after the first cocurrent reactor and before the final adiabatic reactor is used if the fuel gas stream contains more than 8% olefins.

Certain embodiments are directed to an integrated process for the production of Maleic Anhydride (MAN), 1,4 Butanediol (BDO), Gamma-ButyroLactone (GBL), and PolyButylene Terephthalate (PBT) utilizing NC4 rich stream from a recycle stream after or before processing by a Total Hydrogenation Unit (THU).

A method for separating a hydrocarbon mixture, which is obtained at least in part by steam cracking and which contains at least hydrocarbons having one, two and three carbon atoms, including ethane and ethylene, a first fraction initially being obtained from the hydrocarbon mixture by separating off other components at least in part, said fraction containing the predominant part of the hydrocarbons having two or more carbon atoms previously contained in the hydrocarbon mixture or the predominant part of the hydrocarbons having two or fewer carbon atoms previously contained in the hydrocarbon mixture, further fractions subsequently being obtained from the first fraction. A fraction containing ethane is separated off in an amount which reduces the ethane content in the first fraction to less than 25%, the fraction containing ethane being low in or free from other hydrocarbons having two carbon atoms.