A kinetic study of catalytic butane dehydrogenation

A study was made of the dehydrogenation of n‐butane over a commercial chromia‐alumina catalyst. Dehydrogenation runs were performed at 500°C. and space velocity of 34,000 hr−1 over a range of butane partial pressures from 0.06 to 1.80 atm. Conversions were differential, averaging about 3% (with a maximum of 6% ) of the input butane. Reaction was found to be 0.75 order in butane partial pressure. Thermodynamic equilibrium was attained among the products, which were 1‐butene, cis‐2‐butene, and trans‐2‐butene. The method of Yang and Hougen showed dehydrogenation to be surface reaction controlled at a confidence level of 91%. This conclusion agrees with that of a previous study by Dodd and Watson.