The Interplay between Process Conceptualization and Experimental Research-Accelerating and Guiding Catalysis to Process Breakthroughs

The importance of chemicals, both today and in a lower carbon future, underscores the vital task of reducing CO2 emissions associated with their production. In complex processes with a high number of interacting variables, process conceptualization is an important tool for identifying key catalytic variables that can influence emissions while maintaining the competitiveness of the overall process. We demonstrate the usefulness of a process conceptualization based approach with the example of ethylene production, comparing an envisioned catalytic ethane dehydrogenation route in a membrane reactor versus the industrially practiced route of ethane steam cracking. Analysis of the process models identified key catalytic variables that are sensitive in reducing emissions, namely, ethylene yield and reactor pressure, and allows for identification of their minimum process targets. Catalysts inevitably have a limited lifetime due to deactivation. Therefore, catalysts require regeneration, and developing catalysts that are stable and regenerable is essential. Experimental information on regeneration can be used to advance and add complexity to a process model, highlighting the beneficial interplay from advancing experimental research in tandem with process conceptualization.

Automated summary

The importance of chemicals in a low carbon future highlights the need to reduce CO2 emissions associated with their production. Process conceptualization can help identify key catalytic variables that influence emissions while maintaining competitiveness. This approach was applied to ethylene production, comparing different routes and identifying key catalytic variables that can reduce emissions.