US 11,918,989 B2
Process for regeneration of hydrogenation catalysts
Johan Anton, Dorsten (DE); Michael Grass, Haltern am See (DE); Johannes Kraft, Niederkassel (DE); Thomas Schneider, Schermbeck (DE); and Grzegorz Ziomek, Recklinghausen (DE)
Assigned to Evonik Operations GmbH, Essen (DE)
Filed by Evonik Operations GmbH, Essen (DE)
Filed on Dec. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/547,330.
Claims priority of application No. 20215552 (EP), filed on Dec. 18, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0193653 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. B01J 38/04 (2006.01); B01J 38/02 (2006.01)
CPC B01J 38/04 (2013.01) [B01J 38/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
 
1. A process for regenerating a catalyst used for the ring hydrogenation of an aromatic species, in at least one reactor, wherein the process comprises the following steps:
purging the at least one reactor in which the catalyst used is present with an inert gas, wherein the purging with an inert gas is commenced at a temperature of from 50 to 100° C.; followed by
stepwise addition of air to the inert gas during the purging of the reactor until the proportion of air in the total volume is between from 10% and 90% by volume; and then
a reduction in the amount of inert gas during the purging of the reactor until only air is flowing through the reactor,
wherein the temperature in the reactor during the regeneration is not more than 10° C. higher than the temperature at the reactor feed for the aromatic species, in the hydrogenation of the aromatic species,
wherein the catalyst comprises at least one transition metal selected from the group consisting of iron, ruthenium, nickel, rhodium, platinum, palladium, and mixtures thereof, on a support material selected from the group consisting of activated carbon, silicon carbide, aluminium oxide, silicon dioxide, aluminosilicate, titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, magnesium oxide, zinc oxide, and mixtures thereof.