Development of Dehydrogenation Catalysts and Processes

Catalytic dehydrogenation plays an important role in production of light (C-3-C-4 carbon range), detergent range (C-10-C-13 carbon range) olefins and for ethylbenzene dehydrogenation to styrene. During the World War II, catalytic dehydrogenation of butane over a chromia-alumina catalyst was practiced for the production of butenes that were dimerized to octenes and hydrogenated to octanes to yield high-octane aviation fuels. The earlier catalyst development employed chromia-alumina catalyst and more recent catalytic developments use platinum or modified platinum catalysts. Dehydrogenation is a highly endothermic process and as such is an equilibrium limited reaction. Thus important aspects in dehydrogenation entail approaching equilibrium or near-equilibrium conversion while minimizing side reactions and coke formation.