CATALYST FOULING IN THE DEHYDROGENATION OF n-BUTANE OVER CHROMIA-ALUMINA CATALYSTS

Abstract

The fouling mechanism of the dehydrogenation of n-butane over chromia-alumina catalysts was studied both theoretically and experimentally. The reaction experiments were carried out using three kinds of chromia-alumina catalysts of different compositions and it was clarified that dehydrogenation of n-butane was effective only on chromia, whereas formation occurred on alumina as well as on chromia. The experimental results could be well explained by the dual active site model in which two kinds of active sites on the catalytic surface and a one-to-one correspondence between the number of molecules of coke and the number of active sites were assumed.