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Received 8 January 2001; received in revised form 4 March 2001; accepted 25 April 2001
Abstract
This work examines the dehydrogenation of 2-butanol over copper-based catalyst. The effects of support type (MgO and
SiO2 ) and copper loading on methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) yield were studied. The effects of reaction temperature, 2-butanol
feed flow rate and catalyst particle size were also investigated. The highest MEK yields were obtained with a 15 wt.% copper
on silica catalyst. The optimum catalyst was used to measure the kinetic parameters of the 2-butanol dehydrogenation reaction
at temperatures from 190 to 280 C. At higher temperatures catalyst deactivation took place. 2001 Elsevier Science B.V.
All rights reserved.
Keywords: 2-Butanol dehydrogenation; Catalyst optimisation; Kinetic parameters
0926-860X/01/$ see front matter 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 9 2 6 - 8 6 0 X ( 0 1 ) 0 0 6 3 9 - 1
172 J.N. Keuler et al. / Applied Catalysis A: General 218 (2001) 171180
2. Experimental
copper loading of 2025 wt.% gave an optimum cop-
per surface area of about 40 m2 /g catalyst. Chang Engelhard supplied the silica catalyst support
and Saleque [6] investigated cyclohexanol conver- (product code = C500-234). The purity was 99.5%
sion using copper/-alumina catalysts. Maximum silica and the BET surface area about 440 m2 /g. The
conversions were obtained with copper loadings of as received pellets were crushed and then sieved to
about 1217 wt.% (prepared by electroless plating), obtain different particle size fractions. A commercial
1217 wt.% (prepared by precipitation) and about magnesium oxide (MgO) powder from Merck (sur-
10 wt.% (prepared by impregnation). Chang and face area = 27.4 m2 /g) was mixed with a binder and
Saleque [7] obtained a maximum cyclohexanol con- pressed into extrusions. The extrusions were heated
version on copper/-alumina with 1820 wt.% copper to 1200 C to agglomerate the powder particles. The
loadings. For alumina-based catalysts, the selectiv- extrusions were then crushed and sieved into only a
ity towards aldehyde or ketone formation increases 300850 m fraction. The BET surface area of the
with increasing copper loading [7,8]. The reason is particles was 16.7 m2 /g. The BET surface area and
that the acidic centres, which reduce dehydrogena- chemisorption experiments were performed with a
tion selectivity, become covered and thus neutralised. Micrometrics ASAP 2010.
Jeon and Chung [9] observed a continuous decrease Copper was deposited onto the silica support via
in cyclohexanol conversion with an increase in cop- impregnation. The low porosity of the MgO support
per loading on copper/silica catalysts. The selectivity made impregnation unsuitable hence adsorption was
remained constant (very high) over a wide range of used for depositing copper. The MgO support was
copper values. introduced into a flask containing a copper nitrate
The dehydrogenation of sec-butyl alcohol (2-buta- solution (in distilled water) of a specific concentra-
nol) to yield methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) is an im- tion. The flask was placed on a magnetic stirrer and
portant industrial process. The MEK is a widely the solution stirred for 2 h. Thereafter, the CuMgO
used industrial solvent. Perry and Chilton [10] particles were filtered, washed and dried at 90 C. The
listed six possible rate equations for solid-catalysed catalyst was calcinated at 500 C and then reduced in
dehydrogenation reactions. Perona and Thodos [11] hydrogen, in situ, at 350 C for 2 h.
determined the kinetics of 2-butanol dehydrogenation The silica support was dried at 200 C for at least
between 340 and 400 C and 1 atm, using a brass 23 h and then stored in a desiccator. The dried par-
catalyst (65 wt.% Cu, 35 wt.% Zn). Using a similar ticles were then placed in heated copper nitrate solu-
catalyst, Thaller and Thodos [12] studied the reaction tions (in distilled water) of different concentrations.
J.N. Keuler et al. / Applied Catalysis A: General 218 (2001) 171180 173
Fig. 1. Set-up used for testing the kinetics of the catalyst at the CNRS, France.
The copper solution was kept warm on a hotplate Innowax column and a 30 m HP Plot/Al2 O3 column,
while the support was added. The support-solution were used in series. Hydrogen analysis was done on a
mixture was stirred throughout while adding the sup- similar GC with a TCD detector. A Porapak Q column
port particles. The hotplate was kept at about 80 C and a molecular sieve column were operated in series.
to evaporate the remaining solution. The paste was The set-up at Stellenbosch University differed in the
stirred every few minutes. When all the water had following way: Hastings flow controllers (HFC 202C)
evaporated, the catalyst was dried in an oven at 120 C were used in stead of Brooks, the inner diameter of
for at least 4 h. The catalyst was then calcinated at the quartz tube was 8 mm (10 mm outer diameter) and
500 C and reduced in situ in hydrogen at 350 C for a Braun perfusion pump was used. The 2-butanol re-
2 h. The copper concentrations on the catalysts were action products were analysed with a HP G1800A gas
measured using atomic adsorption analysis. chromatograph, equipped with a mass spectrometer
Catalyst testing was performed in two stages. and flame ionisation detector. A 50 m capillary col-
During the first stage, the optimum catalyst was umn (50QGI.5/BPI PONA from SGE) was used.
determined and during the second stage the kinetic
parameters of the optimised catalyst was determined.
The first set of experimental tests was performed
at the laboratories of the University of Stellenbosch 3. Results and discussion of results
(Stellenbosch, South Africa). The kinetic testing was
conducted at the laboratories of the IRC-CNRS (Insti- For catalyst optimisation experiments, the reactor
tut de Recherches sur la Catalyse, Centre National de was operated as a plug flow reactor. Lower flow rates
la Recherche Scientifique) in Villeurbanne, France. were used to optimise the 2-butanol conversion. When
Fig. 1 is the set-up used at the CNRS. A gas sample the kinetic parameters of the reaction was measured,
was extracted at the sample point with a heated sy- the reactor was operated in the differential mode. High
ringe. The syringe was kept inside a stainless steel tube feed flow rates and small catalyst masses (typically
and the temperature of the syringe was controlled at <0.2 g) were used to limit the reaction conversion to
about 110 C. Carbon-containing products were anal- <10%. The data presented in all three-dimensional
ysed on a HP 5850 gas chromatograph equipped with figures were fitted by a smooth spline. Figures were
a FID detector. Two capillary columns, a 30 m HP constructed in the Statistica package.
174 J.N. Keuler et al. / Applied Catalysis A: General 218 (2001) 171180
Fig. 3. MEK yield for Cu on MgO catalysts as a function of Fig. 4. MEK yield for a 16.9 wt.% Cu on MgO catalyst as a
temperature and Cu% on the support. function of temperature and W/F-ratio.
J.N. Keuler et al. / Applied Catalysis A: General 218 (2001) 171180 175
Fig. 5. MEK selectivity for a 16.9 wt.% Cu on MgO catalyst as a Fig. 7. MEK yield for Cu on silica catalysts as a function of
function of temperature and W/F-ratio. temperature and Cu% on the support.
Fig. 9. MEK selectivity for a 15 wt.% Cu on silica catalyst as a Fig. 10. Effect of catalyst particle size on total 2-butanol
function of temperature and W/F-ratio. conversion.
J.N. Keuler et al. / Applied Catalysis A: General 218 (2001) 171180 177
Fig. 12. MEK production rate as a function of time for a 14.4 wt.%
Cu on silica catalyst.
Fig. 11. Effect of catalyst particle size on MEK yield percentage.
Table 1
Reaction rate parameters for 2-butanol dehydrogenationa
T ( C) k (mol/kg cat h kPa) KA (kPa1 ) KS (kPa1 ) KR (kPa1 )
the active sites increased. Negative hydrogen adsorp- mass transfer resistance. The 2-butanol and hydrogen
tion coefficients indicated an increase in reaction rates. adsorption coefficients were negligible compared to
The reasons for the increase in reaction rate with the MEK adsorption coefficient.
hydrogen in the feed have been documented for
other dehydrogenation reactions and is not unex-
pected where coking tends to deactivate the catalysts. Acknowledgements
Sheintuch and Dessau [16] cited many references
where hydrogen was co-fed with either an alco- We want to acknowledge Sasol and the FRD (both in
hol or an alkane and where hydrogen improved the South Africa) for their financial contributions towards
dehydrogenation activity. Hydrogen in the feed stream the project. We want to acknowledge the Direction
reduces coking [16] and it reduces the partial pressure des Relations Internationales of CNRS (France) for
of the alkane or the alcohol, which is favourable for financial support.
higher conversions [1].
The equilibrium constant for 2-butanol dehydro-
genation was taken from Kolb and Burwell [17] and
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