Catalytic reactor
A catalytic reactor for industrial-scale hydrogenation processes is described. The catalytic reactor contains a catalytic fixed bed that comprises a support structure and a catalyst. During operation of the reaction in the catalytic reactor, the fixed bed is filled with reaction medium to at least 85% by volume. A very high contact area of the catalyst with the reaction medium is at the same time provided. The support structure is formed from material webs having a thickness of 5 to 25 μm, with a crosslinking density of at least 3 mm −3 present. The support structure consists of metals selected from elements of groups 8, 6 and 11 of the periodic table of the elements and mixtures thereof.
1. A catalytic reactor, comprising a catalytic fixed bed having a volume of 0.5 to 100 m 3 , a support structure and a catalyst, wherein, during a reaction, the catalytic fixed bed is filled with a reaction medium to at least 85% by volume and the contact area of the catalyst with the reaction medium is at least 2000 m 2 per m 3 volume of the catalytic fixed bed; and wherein:
a) the support structure is formed from material webs having a thickness of 5 to 25 μm, with a crosslinking density of at least 3 mm −3 present;
b) the support structure consists of metals selected from elements of groups 8, 6 and 11 of the periodic table of the elements and mixtures thereof;
c) the support structure is catalytically inert to hydrogenation reactions under the reaction conditions prevailing in the catalytic reactor and serves as a support body for a catalyst that is applied to the support structure in the form of a catalytically active coating.
2. The catalytic reactor of claim 1 , wherein the proportion of the catalyst applied to the support structure through coating is 2 to 500 kg per m 3 volume of the catalytic fixed bed.
3. The catalytic reactor of claim 2 , wherein the catalyst comprises:
60% to 99.8% by weight of support oxides and 0.2% to 10% by weight of catalytically active components, wherein the percentages are, in each case, based on the total amount of catalytic coating forming the catalyst.
4. The catalytic reactor of claim 3 , wherein the catalyst further comprises additives and/or functional components.
5. The catalytic reactor of claim 3 , wherein the support oxides are selected from the group consisting of: aluminium oxide; silicon dioxide; titanium oxide; and mixtures thereof.
6. The catalytic reactor of claim 3 , wherein the catalytically active components are selected from the group consisting of: iron; ruthenium; osmium; cobalt; rhodium; iridium; nickel; palladium; platinum; copper; silver; gold; and mixtures thereof.
7. The catalytic reactor of claim 1 , wherein cobalt, nickel, copper and/or mixtures thereof are the principal constituents of the support structure.
8. The catalytic reactor of claim 7 , wherein the catalyst applied to the support structure is an activated metal catalyst.
9. The catalytic reactor of claim 8 , wherein the catalytic fixed bed contains 2% to 17% by weight of aluminium based on the total mass of the catalytic fixed bed.
10. The catalytic reactor claim 7 , wherein the activated metal catalyst is modified with a doping element selected from the group consisting of: molybdenum; platinum; palladium; rhodium; ruthenium; copper; and mixtures thereof.
11. The catalytic reactor of claim 1 , wherein the catalytic fixed bed has a volume of 2 to 25 m 3 .
12. The catalytic reactor of claim 1 , wherein the catalytic fixed bed has a fill-weight of between 0.1 and 1 kg/m 3 .
13. The catalytic reactor of claim 5 , wherein the catalytically active components are selected from the group consisting of: iron; ruthenium; osmium; cobalt; rhodium; iridium; nickel; palladium; platinum; copper; silver; gold; and mixtures thereof.
14. The catalytic reactor of claim 13 , wherein cobalt, nickel, copper and/or mixtures thereof are the principal constituents of the support structure.
15. The catalytic reactor of claim 14 , wherein the catalyst applied to the support structure is an activated metal catalyst.
16. The catalytic reactor of claim 15 , wherein the catalytic fixed bed contains 2% to 17% by weight of aluminium based on the total mass of the catalytic fixed bed.
17. The catalytic reactor claim 14 , wherein the activated metal catalyst is modified with a doping element selected from the group consisting of: molybdenum; platinum; palladium; rhodium; ruthenium; copper; and mixtures thereof.
18. The catalytic reactor claim 15 , wherein the activated metal catalyst is modified with a doping element selected from the group consisting of: molybdenum; platinum; palladium; rhodium; ruthenium; copper; and mixtures thereof.
19. The catalytic reactor of claim 13 , wherein the catalytic fixed bed has a volume of 2 to 25 m 3 .
20. The catalytic reactor of claim 13 , wherein the catalytic fixed bed has a fill-weight of between 0.1 and 1 kg/m 3 .