Synthesis of maleic anhydride in an inert membrane reactor. Effect of reactor configuration

An inert membrane has been used to distribute oxygen to a fixed bed of VPO catalyst in the partial oxidation of butane to maleic anhydride. Two differ ent reactor configurations have been used, namely, a standard inert membran e reactor (IMR), in which oxygen permeates inward from the shell side and t he catalyst is packed on the tube side, and an outward now inert membrane r eactor (OFIMR), in which the catalyst bed is packed on the shell side and o xygen flows outwardly from the tube side. The radial variation of both the oxygen and hydrocarbon concentrations and of the temperature is different i n the two types of reactors investigated, and as a consequence a considerab ly better performance is obtained for the OFIMR.