PREDICTION OF CATALYST ATTRITION IN AN INDUSTRIAL FLUIDIZED BED PLANT BASED ON LAB SCALE ATTRITION TESTS

摘要

The concept that catalyst attrition in a fluidized bed process can be simulated based on the attrition characteristics of the catalyst determined on labscale is applied to DuPont's large scale process of maleic anhydride production from n-butane using a vanadium phosphorus oxide (VPO) catalyst. In the present cooperation effort the performance data and design parameters of the large scale plant are supplied by the Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal and DuPont. At Hamburg University of Technology the catalyst's attrition characteristics were determined in labscale attrition tests. Furthermore the fate of the solids in the process was simulated. The results of the simulation are compared with the performance data of the industrial process.