Studies of tert-Butanol Dehydration over Sulfocationic Catalysts at Concurrent of Liquid and Vapour Flows

Abstract

The experimental results on tert-butanol dehydration are discussed. The influence of the catalyst bed temperature, water content in the feed flow, and the temperature of the feed flow on the tert-butanol conversion was experimentally studied in the presence of the KU-2FPP and Purolite СТ275 catalysts. The isobutylene yield was established to depend mainly on the heat supply to the reaction zone. The countercurrent flows of the phases through the catalyst bed were shown not to allow the process to be intensified using a more active catalyst. It was experimentally demonstrated that the arrangement of downward concurrent flows in the catalyst bed led to an increase in the efficiency of tert-butanol decomposition over a more active Purolite CT275 catalyst.