Method for extending catalyst life in processes for preparing vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons

Abstract

Methods and systems for extending the life of a dehydrogenation catalyst are described herein. For example, one embodiment includes providing an alkyl aromatic hydrocarbon feed stream to a reaction chamber, contacting the feed stream with a dehydrogenation catalyst to form a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon, the dehydrogenation catalyst including iron oxide and an alkali metal catalysis promoter and supplying a catalyst life extender to at least one reaction chamber, the reaction chamber loaded with the dehydrogenation catalyst, wherein the catalyst life extender includes a potassium salt of a carboxylic acid.

1 . A method for preparing a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon comprising: 
 providing a feed stream comprising an alkyl aromatic hydrocarbon;    contacting the feed stream with a dehydrogenation catalyst to form a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon, the dehydrogenation catalyst comprising iron oxide and an alkali metal catalysis promoter; and    supplying a catalyst life extender to at least one reaction chamber, the reaction chamber loaded with the dehydrogenation catalyst, wherein the catalyst life extender comprises a potassium salt of a carboxylic acid.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising supplying the catalyst life extender to the at least one reaction chamber at a rate equivalent to a continuous addition of from about 0.01 to about 100 parts per million by weight of catalyst life extender relative to the weight of the total alkyl aromatic hydrocarbon directed into the reaction chamber.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising supplying the catalyst life extender to the at least one reaction chamber at a rate equivalent to a continuous addition of from about 0.10 to about 10 parts per million by weight of catalyst life extender relative to the weight of the total alkyl aromatic hydrocarbon directed into the reaction chamber.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising supplying the catalyst life extender to the reaction chamber without interrupting the formation of the vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alkyl aromatic hydrocarbon comprises ethylbenzene and the vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon comprises styrene.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dehydrogenation catalyst comprises an iron compound and an alkali metal compound.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the alkali metal compound comprises potassium.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous catalyst life extender comprises non-halogen sources of alkali metals.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the aqueous catalyst life extender comprises potassium hydroxide.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the aqueous catalyst life extender comprises a potassium salt of a carboxylic acid.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst life extender comprises a potassium salt of a carboxylic acid comprising 2 to 10 carbon atoms.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst life extender is aqueous.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising supplying the catalyst life extender to the reaction chamber without intermediate processing.  
   
   
       14 . A method for preparing a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon comprising: 
 providing a feed stream comprising an alkyl aromatic hydrocarbon;    contacting the feed stream with a dehydrogenation catalyst to form a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon, the dehydrogenation catalyst comprising iron oxide and an alkali metal catalysis promoter; and    supplying an aqeous catalyst life extender to at least one reaction chamber, the reaction chamber loaded with the dehydrogenation catalyst, wherein the catalyst life extender comprises an alkali metal.