Gas phase oxidation

Gas phase oxidation

Fluidized bed processes play an important role in the basic and petrochemical industries and are often used in oxidative production stages

The predominant oxidant here is process air. Its O2 content can be increased by feeding in gaseous O2. This type of process intensification through O2 enrichment can usually be realized at low cost.

Advantages

Increasing the O2 content in the process air can significantly increase production capacity - typically by 10% to as much as 25%. This can result from the following effects, which are often achievable:

• Higher throughput
• Increased turnover

In addition to increased flexibility in operation - e.g. blower restrictions can often be eliminated - there is also the possibility of reducing the amount of waste gas by lowering the total amount of process air. This can bring further advantages

• Energy savings in exhaust gas treatment (reduced CO2 emissions)
• Reduced catalyst (or solids) discharge
• Reduced catalyst (or solids) abrasion

Applications

Fluidized solids - whether as catalysts or as reactants - play a role in both organic and inorganic air oxidation processes; e.g.:

• Sulfuric acid recycling¹
• N-butane oxidation to maleic anhydride²
• Ethylene oxychlorination¹
• Ammonoxidation of propene¹

FCC; i.e., regeneration step in fluid catalytic cracking¹

1. O² enrichment is already widely used on a technical scale
2. O² enrichment has been investigated experimentally

Range of services

For the realization of an O2 enrichment Linde can offer the following services:

• Collaboration on a feasibility study regarding the advantages of the additional use of O2
• Support in the preparation, execution and evaluation of corresponding tests on a small-scale or technical scale
• Collaboration in safety considerations as well as in the development of the technical solution
• Supply of customized hardware (e.g. OXYMIXTM , FLOWTRAIN®, measurement and control technology)
• Elaboration and provision of an optimal O2 supply process
• Simulation programs