PROCESS FOR REGENERATING A MONOLITH HYDROGENATION CATALYTIC REACTOR

PURPOSE: A process to regenerate monolithic catalytic reactors employed in the liquid phase hydrogenation reactions, particularly those kinds of reactions involving nitroaromatic compounds is provided. CONSTITUTION: In a process for the heterogeneous catalytic reaction of a mixture of a reactant gas and reactant liquid in a monolith catalytic reactor carrying a catalytic metal under conditions of liquid phase reaction for a time sufficient to generate carbonaceous and deactivating byproducts, the improvement for regenerating the catalytic activity of the monolith catalytic reactor and thereby extend the life of the monolith catalytic reactor comprises the steps of initially passing an oxidizing gaseous mixture through the monolith catalytic reactor at an elevated temperature and for a time sufficient to remove carbonaceous and deactivating byproducts; and then, passing a reducing gas though the monolith catalytic reactor previously exposed to the oxidizing gas under conditions for reducing the catalytic metal to its reduced state. In a process for the heterogeneous catalytic reaction of a mixture of a hydrogen and dinitrotoluene in a monolith catalytic reactor carrying nickel and palladium as catalytic metals under conditions of liquid phase reaction for a time sufficient to generate carbonaceous and deactivating byproducts, the improvement for regenerating the catalytic activity of the monolith catalytic reactor and thereby extending the life of the monolith catalytic reactor comprises the steps of initially passing an oxidizing gaseous mixture through the monolith catalytic reactor at an elevated temperature and for a time sufficient to remove carbonaceous and deactivating byproducts; and then, passing a reducing gas though the monolith catalytic reactor previously exposed to the oxidizing gas under conditions for reducing the catalytic metals to its reduced state. 본 발명은 액체 상 수소화 반응, 특히 니트로 방향족 화합물을 수반하는 유형의 반응에 사용된 모놀리스 촉매 반응기의 재생 방법에 관한 것이다. 모놀리스 촉매 반응기에서 촉매 금속은 탄소질 부산물 및 불활성화 부산물에 의해 불활성화되므로, 촉매 작용 수명을 연장하고 비용을 감소시키기 위해서 재생되어야 한다. 재생 방법은 2 단계, 즉 먼저 탄소질 부산물 및 불활성화 부산물을 제거하기에 충분한 시간 동안, 충분한 고온에서 산화 기체 혼합물을 모놀리스 촉매 반응기에 통과시키는 단계, 및 이어서 촉매 금속을 그 환원된 상태로 환원 반응시키기 위한 조건 하에서 환원 기체를 전단계의 산화 기체에 노출된 모놀리스 촉매 반응기에 통과시키는 단계를 포함한다.