Pilot tests of a catalyst for the selective hydrogenation of methylacetylene and propadiene

KGS-3 catalyst is tested in the selective hydrogenation of methylacetylene and propadiene contained in industrial pyrolysis propane-propylene fractions at a pilot installation in two successive adiabatic flow reactors equipped with immobile catalyst beds. The optimum technological conditions for hydrogenation are determined, ensuring a residual content of acetylene and diene admixtures of no more than 5 ppm: pressure in the system, 18 atm; hydrocarbon feedstock hourly space velocity (HSV), 2100 h−1; molar ratio of hydrogen to the sum of methylacetylene and propadiene in the first and second reactors, respectively, 1.1 : 1.0 and 1.6 : 1.0; temperatures, 50 and 55 °C. Under these conditions, KGS-3 catalyst ensures 100% conversion of methylacetylene and propadiene with a propylene selectivity of 76.7%. The expected service life of this catalyst is about 14 months. The catalyst can be used for the purification of hydrocarbon fractions containing up to 5 wt % of acetylene and diene admixtures.