An integrated process for making styrene and propene oxide which comprises the steps: a) dehydrogenating ethylbenzene in the presence of a dehydrogenation catalyst; b) separating styrene and hydrogen from the reaction mixture of step a); c) producing hydrogen peroxide from hydrogen separated in step b) and oxygen; d) reacting propene with the hydrogen peroxide obtained in step c) in the presence of an epoxidation catalyst to provide a reaction mixture comprising propene oxide; and e) separating propene oxide from the reaction mixture obtained in step d).

The present invention relates to catalysts, catalyst systems, and processes for the production of valuable light olefins, such as C.sub.2-C.sub.4 olefins (ethylene, propylene, and/or butenes) from paraffinic hydrocarbons, such as propane, through dehydrogenation and metathesis. Some particular aspects relate to the discovery of non-precious metal catalysts and catalyst systems utilizing such catalysts, for example in the case of being in an admixture with a metathesis catalyst, which advantageously exhibit high performance in terms of activity, selectivity, and stability. Other advantages can include a reduced production of byproducts (e.g., methane and ethane) that result from undesired side reactions, in addition to benefits that may be attained through the addition of a sulfur-bearing compound (e.g., H.sub.2S).

The present invention relates to catalysts, catalyst systems, and processes for the production of valuable light olefins, such as C.sub.2-C.sub.4 olefins (ethylene, propylene, and/or butenes) from paraffinic hydrocarbons, such as propane, through dehydrogenation and metathesis. Some particular aspects relate to the discovery of non-precious metal catalysts and catalyst systems utilizing such catalysts, for example in the case of being in an admixture with a metathesis catalyst, which advantageously exhibit high performance in terms of activity, selectivity, and stability. Other advantages can include a reduced production of byproducts (e.g., methane and ethane) that result from undesired side reactions, in addition to benefits that may be attained through the addition of a sulfur-bearing compound (e.g., H.sub.2S).

A process for endothermic dehydrogenation including contacting a catalyst material in a moving bed reactor having at least one reaction zone, the moving bed reactor comprising a heat exchanger containing a heating medium, wherein the catalyst material and the heating medium do not contact one another, and wherein at least 50% of the delta enthalpy of the at least one reaction zone is provided by the heat exchanger; and contacting a feedstock comprising hydrocarbons with the catalyst material in the at least one reaction zone of the moving bed reactor under reaction conditions to convert at least a portion of the hydrocarbons to a first effluent comprising a product comprising alkenes, alkynes, cyclic hydrocarbons, and/or aromatics.

A paraffin having 2-8 carbon atoms may be dehydrogenated by contacting the paraffin with metal oxide catalyst(s) to produce light olefins, such as propylene, under certain reaction conditions in a riser, fluidized bed, or fixed-bed swing reactor. The resulting metal oxide catalyst fines contained in the reactor effluent stream formed by the dehydrogenation reaction may be recovered by contacting the reactor effluent stream with a wash fluid to form a catalyst effluent stream that is subsequently slurried and filtered to capture the catalyst fines for potential reuse.

A plant or refinery may include equipment such as reactors, heaters, heat exchangers, regenerators, separators, or the like. Types of heat exchangers include shell and tube, plate, plate and shell, plate fin, air cooled, wetted-surface air cooled, or the like. Operating methods may impact deterioration in equipment condition, prolong equipment life, extend production operating time, or provide other benefits. Mechanical or digital sensors may be used for monitoring equipment, and sensor data may be programmatically analyzed to identify developing problems. For example, sensors may be used in conjunction with one or more system components to detect and correct maldistribution, cross-leakage, strain, pre-leakage, thermal stresses, fouling, vibration, problems in liquid lifting, conditions that can affect air-cooled exchangers, conditions that can affect a wetted-surface air-cooled heat exchanger, or the like. An operating condition or mode may be adjusted to prolong equipment life or avoid equipment failure.

A plant or refinery may include equipment such as reactors, heaters, heat exchangers, regenerators, separators, or the like. Types of heat exchangers include shell and tube, plate, plate and shell, plate fin, air cooled, wetted-surface air cooled, or the like. Operating methods may impact deterioration in equipment condition, prolong equipment life, extend production operating time, or provide other benefits. Mechanical or digital sensors may be used for monitoring equipment, and sensor data may be programmatically analyzed to identify developing problems. For example, sensors may be used in conjunction with one or more system components to detect and correct maldistribution, cross-leakage, strain, pre-leakage, thermal stresses, fouling, vibration, problems in liquid lifting, conditions that can affect air-cooled exchangers, conditions that can affect a wetted-surface air-cooled heat exchanger, or the like. An operating condition or mode may be adjusted to prolong equipment life or avoid equipment failure.

Higher temperature regenerated dehydrogenation catalyst is mixed with the lower temperature spent dehydrogenation catalyst from a dehydrogenation reaction to heat the spent catalyst. Air or other oxygen containing gas may be introduced to facilitate mixing. The mixing of hot regenerated catalyst with cooler spent catalyst increases the temperature of the spent catalyst and makes the coke on catalyst and in the supplemental fuel gas instantly ready to combust without the delay necessary to heat up the spent catalyst to combustion temperature. The regenerated dehydrogenation catalyst may be mixed with the spent dehydrogenation catalyst before the mixture of catalyst is contacted with the supplemental fuel gas. Combustion with fuel gas should be conditioned to avoid generation of a flame.

A process for endothermic dehydrogenation including contacting a catalyst material in a moving bed reactor having at least one reaction zone, the moving bed reactor comprising a heat exchanger containing a heating medium, wherein the catalyst material and the heating medium do not contact one another, and wherein at least 50% of the delta enthalpy of the at least one reaction zone is provided by the heat exchanger; and contacting a feedstock comprising hydrocarbons with the catalyst material in the at least one reaction zone of the moving bed reactor under reaction conditions to convert at least a portion of the hydrocarbons to a first effluent comprising a product comprising alkenes, alkynes, cyclic hydrocarbons, and/or aromatics.

A plant or refinery may include equipment such as condensers, regenerators, distillation columns, rotating equipment, compressors, pumps, turbines, or the like. Different operating methods may impact deterioration in equipment condition, thereby prolonging equipment life, extending production operating time, or providing other benefits. Mechanical or digital sensors may be used for monitoring equipment to determine whether problems are developing. For example, sensors may be used in conjunction with one or more system components to perform invariant mapping, monitor system operating characteristics, and/or predict pressure, volume, surges, reactor loop fouling, gas quality, or the like. An operating condition (e.g., of one or more pieces of equipment in the plant or refinery) may be adjusted to prolong equipment life or avoid equipment failure.