Methanol-to-Olefins in a Membrane Reactor with in?situ Steam Removal - The Decisive Role of Coking.

ABSTRACT: The reaction of methanol to light olefins and water (MTO) was studied in a fixed bed tubular membrane reactor using commercial SAPO-34 catalyst. In the fixed bed reactor without membrane support, the MTO reaction collapsed after 3?h time on stream. However, if the reaction by-product steam is in?situ extracted from the reactor through a hydrophilic tubular LTA membrane, the reactor produces long-term stable about 60?% ethene and 10?% propene. It is shown that the reason for the superior performance of the membrane-assisted reactor is not the prevention of catalyst damage caused by steam but the influence of the water removal on the formation of different carbonaceous residues inside the SAPO-34 cages. Catalytically beneficial methylated 1 or 2 ring aromatics have been found in a higher percentage in the MTO reaction with a water removal membrane compared to the MTO reaction without membrane support.

SUBMITTER: Rieck Genannt Best F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7006748 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature