Objective Objectives and content Oxidation of hydrocarbons to oxygenates is normally limited by low selectivity due to carbon dioxide formation and by conversion, so the resulting yield is often below 80-90%. The present research programme focuses on the selective oxidation of n-butane to maleic anhydride where the yield is even below 60%. Maleic anhydride is an important intermediary in the manufacture of unsaturated polyester resins and the production increases by several per cent annually. It is the aim of this research programme to develop a reactor based on ceramic membranes where the reaction between butane and air/oxygen takes place either on a catalyst within the membrane tube or at a catalytic surface created within the membrane wall. It is expected that the selectivities achievable in such reactors will be above 90%. The catalyst will be optimized for the membrane reactor. Methods for deposition of catalyst in the membrane reactor wall will be developed and the catalysts and membranes will be thoroughly characterized before and after membrane reactor studies. A package for the design of a pilot or demonstration membrane reactor will be the end product of the project. It is widely recognized that an industrial breakthrough in the use of high temperature membrane reactors mainly depends on whether or not highly perm-selective and stable membranes will be developed. Overall, this should lead to a substantially improved process with lower investment costs and lower consumption figures. Besides the increased selectivity, the latter will also involve a substantially reduced emission of carbon dioxide. The expected development should be transferable to other selective oxidation reactions such as the production of phthalic anhydride and acrylonitrile. Fields of science natural scienceschemical scienceselectrochemistryelectrolysisnatural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryhydrocarbonsnatural scienceschemical sciencescatalysis Programme(s) FP4-BRITE/EURAM 3 - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of industrial and materials technologies, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 0102 - Development of clean production technologies Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator HALDOR TOPSOEE A/S Address 55,nymoellevej 55 2800 Lyngby Denmark See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (6) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE France EU contribution € 0,00 Address Avenue albert einstein 2 69626 Villeurbanne See on map Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique France EU contribution € 0,00 Address 2,place eugâne bataillon 2 34095 Montpellier See on map Du Pont Ibérica SA Spain EU contribution € 0,00 Address Valle de tamon - nubledo 33469 Tabaza See on map THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Ashton building, brownlow hill L69 3GH Liverpool See on map UNIVERSIDAD DE ZARAGOZA Spain EU contribution € 0,00 Address C/ maria de luna 3 50015 Zaragoza See on map University of Limerick Ireland EU contribution € 0,00 Address 61 Limerick See on map
