Dehydrogenation process with heat generating material

1. A process for dehydrogenation of, the process comprising:

a) providing a reactor having a fixed catalyst bed, the fixed catalyst bed having an inlet section, a middle section and optionally an outlet section, wherein

the inlet section of the fixed catalyst bed has a first catalyst composition disposed therein, the first catalyst composition comprising a dehydrogenation catalytic component optionally physically mixed with an inert component,

the middle section of the fixed catalyst bed has a second catalyst composition disposed therein, the second catalyst composition comprising a dehydrogenation catalytic component physically mixed with a heat-generating component, and

the outlet section, if present, of the fixed catalyst bed having a third catalyst composition disposed therein, the third catalyst composition comprising a dehydrogenation catalytic component optionally physically mixed with an inert component,

wherein the middle section of the fixed catalyst bed is in thermal communication with the inlet section of the fixed catalyst bed and, if present, the outlet section of the fixed catalyst bed;

b) reducing the fixed catalyst bed wherein the heat-generating component of the second catalytic composition generates heat that passes into the first catalyst composition and, if present, the third catalytic composition; then

c) contacting the propane with the fixed catalyst bed to form propylene; then

d) optionally, purging the fixed catalyst bed; and

e) regenerating the fixed catalyst bed by contacting the fixed catalyst bed with air, wherein a ratio of air in the regenerating step to the propane in the contacting step is in a range of about 6.5 wt/wt to about 2 wt/wt.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of air in the regenerating step to the propane is in a range of about 5.8 wt/wt to about 3.7 wt/wt.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein a pressure of the step of contacting the propane with the fixed catalyst bed is in a range of about 0.9 atm to about 1.5 atm.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein a pressure of the step of contacting the propane with the fixed catalyst bed is in a range of about 0.1 atm to about 1.5 atm.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the air and the propane are at inlet temperature in a range of about 550° C. and about 720° C.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the step of contacting the propane with the fixed catalyst bed is at a liquid hourly space velocity in a range of about 0.5 hr −1 and about 15 hr −1 .

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the heat generated by the heat-generating component is less than the amount of heat consumed by the dehydrogenation of the propane.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the dehydrogenation catalytic component of each of the first, second and, if present, third catalyst compositions comprises, disposed on an alumina support, chromium oxide in an amount in a range of about 15 to about 25 wt %, and, optionally, potassium oxide in an amount up to about 5 wt %.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the dehydrogenation catalytic component of each of the first, second and, if present, third catalyst compositions comprises, disposed on an alumina support, from about 17 wt % to about 22 wt % Cr 2 O 3 .

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the heat-generating component comprises a metal in oxide form selected from the group consisting of copper, chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, cerium, yttrium, scandium, tungsten, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, silver, bismuth and combinations thereof, supported on a carrier.

11. The process of claim 10 , the metal in oxide form is provided at a concentration of about 2 wt % to about 40 wt % of the total heat-generating component weight.

12. The process of claim 10 , wherein the carrier is selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxides, aluminum hydroxides, aluminum trihydroxide, boehmite, pseudo-boehmite, gibbsite, bayerite, transition aluminas, alpha-alumina, gamma-alumina, silica/alumina, silica, silicates, aluminates, calcium aluminate, barium hexaluminate, calcined hydrotalcites, zeolites, zinc oxide, chromium oxides, magnesium oxides and combinations thereof.

13. The process of claim 1 , wherein the heat generating component comprises, disposed on a carrier, copper oxide in an amount in a range of about 3 wt % to about 20 wt %; and, optionally, manganese oxide in an amount up to about 5 wt %.

14. The process of claim 1 , wherein reducing the fixed catalyst bed comprises treatment of the fixed catalyst bed with hydrogen.

15. The process of claim 1 , wherein the reducing step increases the temperature of the first catalyst composition by at least about 15° C., as compared to the temperature of the first catalyst composition before the reducing step.

16. The process of claim 1 , wherein the heat-generating component is substantially inactive to catalyze the dehydrogenation of the propane.

17. The process of claim 1 , further comprising:

f) repeating step b) through step e) at least five times.

18. The process of claim 1 , wherein the outlet section of the fixed catalyst bed is present.

19. The process of claim 1 , wherein

the ratio of air in the regenerating step to the propane is in a range of about 5.8 wt/wt to about 3.7 wt/wt;

the air and the propane are at inlet temperature in a range of about 550° C. and about 720° C.;

the dehydrogenation catalytic component of each of the first, second and, if present, third catalyst compositions comprises, disposed on an alumina support, chromium oxide in an amount in the range of about 15 to about 25 wt %, and, optionally, potassium oxide in an amount up to about 5 wt %; and

the heat generating component comprises, disposed on a carrier, copper oxide in an amount in the range of about 3 wt % to about 20 wt %; and, optionally, manganese oxide in an amount up to about 5 wt %.