Process for the synthesis of nitriles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11319284-B2
Application number	US-201716096493-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2017
Priority date	Apr 26, 2016
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

In a process for the synthesis of a nitrile by endothermic catalyzed reaction of ammonia with a hydrocarbon using heating obtained by passing an alternating current through a metallic coil, the endothermic reaction between ammonia and the hydrocarbon takes place in a reactor with direct inductive heating in the reaction zone. The heating is extremely fast, which makes the reaction practically instantaneous.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process for the synthesis of a nitrile by catalyzed reaction of ammonia with a hydrocarbon using heating obtained by passing an alternating current through a metallic coil in a synthesis reactor with a catalyst,
wherein the endothermic reaction between ammonia and the hydrocarbon takes place in the synthesis reactor with direct inductive heating in a reaction zone,
wherein the coil is mounted within the synthesis reactor, and all of the catalyst is placed inside the coil.

2. A process for the synthesis of a nitrile by catalyzed reaction of ammonia with a hydrocarbon using heating obtained by passing an alternating current through a metallic coil in a synthesis reactor with a catalyst,
wherein the endothermic reaction between ammonia and the hydrocarbon takes place in the synthesis reactor with direct inductive heating in a reaction zone,
wherein the coil is mounted within the synthesis reactor, and the catalyst is placed inside the coil,
wherein the coil is made of Fe—Cr—Al alloy wire.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the inductive heating is carried out using an induction heater which is a ferromagnetic metal structure provided with a suitable coating, and wherein the heating is generated by magnetic hysteresis losses.

4. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the metal structure is a metal selected from Fe—Cr and Al—Ni—Co alloys.

5. The process according to claim 4 , wherein the metal structure is coated with a porous oxide surface impregnated with a catalytic phase.

6. The process according to claim 5 , wherein the catalytic phase contains a catalyst based on Co or Sn.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon is methane, ethane, propane, iso-butane or an olefin.

8. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the induction heater comprises a ferromagnetic catalyst.

9. The process according to claim 8 , wherein the catalyst is diluted with a magnetic material.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the coil is arranged to have a direct electrical contact to the catalyst.

11. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the coil is not subject to electrical isolation.

12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the coil is a wire comprising at least one selected from copper, constantan, an iron-chromium-aluminum alloy, and a copper-manganese-nickel alloy.

13. A process for the synthesis of a nitrile by catalyzed reaction of ammonia with a hydrocarbon using heating obtained by passing an alternating current through a metallic coil in a synthesis reactor with a catalyst,
wherein the endothermic reaction between ammonia and the hydrocarbon takes place in the synthesis reactor with direct inductive heating in a reaction zone,
wherein the coil is a wire comprising at least one selected from copper, constantan, an iron-chromium-aluminum alloy, and a copper-manganese-nickel alloy.

Assignees

• Haldor Topsoe As

Inventors

• Højlund Nielsen Poul Erik
• Temel Mckenna Burcin
• Hansen John Bøgild
• Nielsen Rasmus Munksgård

Classifications

• C07C253/00

  Preparation of carboxylic acid nitriles (of cyanogen or compounds thereof C01C3/00) · CPC title

• B01J23/14

  of germanium, tin or lead · CPC title

• B01J2208/00433

  using electromagnetic heating · CPC title

• B01J8/0285 Primary

  Heating or cooling the reactor (for tubular reactors in furnaces B01J8/062) · CPC title

• B01J2208/00469

  Radiofrequency · CPC title