Effect of the Reaction Mixture Composition on the Catalytic Properties of MoVSbNbСeOx/SiO2 Catalysts in the Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Ethane to Ethylene

The effect of the reaction mixture composition on the catalytic properties of Mo1V0.24Sb0.23Nb0.08Ce0.01Ox/50 wt % SiO2 catalysts in the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene at a temperature of 400–440°C has been studied. It has been shown that at a high ethane concentration in a C2H6 : O2 = 74 : 26 (vol %) and C2H6 : O2 = 80 : 20 (vol %) reaction mixture, the process productivity with respect to ethylene is 153−157 g_C_2H_6 /(kgcat h). The catalyst exhibits stable operation in highly concentrated mixtures at a temperature of 400−420°C. Therefore, oxidative ethane dehydrogenation can be run by recycling the reaction mixture at an ethane conversion of 20−30%.