Oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane and propane at short contact time

Oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane and propane has been studied in the short contact time regime using Pt monolithic catalysts. Ignition/extinction behaviour of ethane/oxygen and propane/oxygen mixtures over the Pt catalyst has been investigated as well as the behaviour of ethane/propane mixtures during oxidative dehydrogenation in the same reactor configuration. Ignition/extinction behaviour of alkane/oxygen mixtures were observed at low furnace temperatures. Carbon oxides are the main products during ignition accompanied by a sharp increase of the reactor temperature. Olefins and methane are preferably produced at higher temperatures during oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane and propane. The results obtained on the Pt catalyst indicate that in the temperature range of this study heterogeneous reactions contribute to the production of carbon oxides and hydrogen, while olefins are produced via gas-phase reactions. The conversion of ethane is almost not influenced by the addition of propane, whereas ethane affects the conversion of propane. In mixtures of ethane, propane and oxygen, ethane and propane cannot be treated as if they were alone. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.