Effect of air addition on the catalytic performance of Pt-Sn/Al2O3 catalysts in propane dehydrogenation

The Al2O3-supported Pt-Sn catalysts were prepared utilizing an impregnation-reduction method and applied in the propane dehydrogenation in the presence of air. The addition of air, it not only provides a part of the heat required by dehydrogenation, but also improves the reaction conversion through the consumption of H2 to H2O. Moreover, the operating conditions of the dehydrogenation process with air have been investigated. The reasonable operating conditions are recommended as follows: temperature=590 °C, GHSV=5200 h-1, and C3H8: air: H2=4:5:4 (molar ratio). Under these conditions, the propane conversion and the propene selectivity attain 39.6% and 96.7%, respectively, simultaneously with the stable catalytic activity.