Hydroisomerization of n-Pentane over Pt/Mordenite Catalyst: Effect of Feed Composition and Process Conditions

Abstract

The hydroisomerization of pure n-pentane over H-mordenite supported Pt-catalyst was investigated in a fixed bed reactor by changing reaction parameters such as temperature, pressure, and WHSV, as well as the H2/HC ratio. The maximum yield of isopentane over Pt/mordenite catalyst was achieved at 220 °C and a relatively low reaction pressure. To address the effect of feed composition on the catalytic performance of the samples, the catalysts were assessed for activity and selectivity in the isomerization of a mixture consisting of n-pentane (70 wt.%) and isopentane (30 wt.%) at 220 °C. The effects of pressure, WHSV, and H2/HC ratio on the catalyst performance were also studied using binary mixtures of the pentane isomers as a feedstock. It was observed that an effect of WHSV and H2/HC on the catalytic performance was similar to its behavior in pure n-pentane isomerization, while the conversion of n-pentane in the binary mixture showed a different trend and had a minimum value at 1.5 bar. It could be due to the presence of isopentane in feed and adsorption phenomenon of binary mixture on mordenite-supported catalyst.