OXIDATIVE DEHYDROGENATION OF N-BUTANE ON V MGO CATALYSTS - INFLUENCE OF THE TYPE OF CONTACTOR/

A comparative study of the catalytic performance of a selective V-Mg-O catalyst in the oxidative dehydrogenation of n-butane is presented us ing three different types of reactor: (i) an adiabatic fixed-bed react or; (ii) a fluidized-bed reactor; and (iii) an in situ redox fluidized -bed reactor. The results obtained indicate that the in situ redox flu idized-bed reactor outperforms the conventional fixed-and fluidized-be d reactors, especially at high n-butane conversions. Thus, a selectivi ty to C-4 olefins of 54% atn-butane conversions of 60% was achieved at 550 degrees C using an in situ redox fluidized-bed reactor while sele ctivities to C-4-olefins lower than 43% were obtained on the other rea ctor types under the same reaction conditions (isoconversion and react ion temperature).