SELECTIVE OXIDATION OF NORMAL-BUTANE TO MALEIC-ANHYDRIDE .3. MODELING STUDIES

The complete modeling of the selective oxidation of n-butane to maleic anhydride (MA) has been studied in this present investigation. The nature of different sites present on the VPO catalyst has been explored with a poisoning study. Two different types of sites were found. Selective sites are responsible for the selective oxidation of n-butane to MA. Nonselective sites caused formation of oxides of carbon from MA as well as from n-butane. Two different models have been proposed and tested with the use of the differential reactor data. The experimental data substantiate the model which assumes V(V) as the selective site (for the formation of MA) and V(IV) as the nonselective site for the formation of oxides of carbon.