METHOD FOR REGENERATING A HYDROGENATION CATALYST
(19)AUSTRALIAN PATENT OFFICE(54) Title METHOD FOR REGENERATING A HYDROGENATION CATALYST (51)6 International Patent Classification(s) B01J 023/06 C07C 007/167 B01J 038/00 (21) Application No: 2003291987 (22) Application Date: 2003.10.15(87) WIPONo: WO04/037409 (30) Priority Data (31) Number (32) Date (33) Country 102 49 368.5 2002.10.23 DE(43) Publication Date : 2004.05.13 (43) Publication Journal Date : 2004.06.17(71) Applicant(s) BASF AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT(72) Inventor(s) HILL, Thomas; HAAKE, Mathias;DIALER, Harald (H) Application NoAU2003291987 A1(19)AUSTRALIAN PATENT OFFICE(54) Title METHOD FOR REGENERATING A HYDROGENATION CATALYST (51)6 International Patent Classification(s) B01J 023/06 C07C 007/167 B01J 038/00 (21) Application No: 2003291987 (22) Application Date: 2003.10.15(87) WIPONo: WO04/037409 (30) Priority Data (31) Number (32) Date (33) Country 102 49 368.5 2002.10.23 DE(43) Publication Date : 2004.05.13 (43) Publication Journal Date : 2004.06.17(71) Applicant(s) BASF AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT(72) Inventor(s) HILL, Thomas; HAAKE, Mathias;DIALER, Harald A process for regenerating a hydrogenation catalyst which has been used in a gas-phase hydrogenation, which comprises stripping at from 50 to 300° C. with a substance or a substance mixture which under the process conditions has no oxidizing action and is present in the gaseous state is described. A process for regenerating a hydrogenation catalyst which is in the form of a thin-film catalyst, formed by an active composition comprising one or more hydrogenation-active metals which has been applied to a nonporous, metallic support and has been used in a gas-phase selective hydrogenation of acetylene in a C2 fraction or of propyne and/or propadiene in a C3 fraction, by stripping at from 50 to 300°C with a substance or a substance mixture which under the process conditions has no oxidizing action and is present in the gaseous state. The process according to claim 1, wherein the metallic support is in the form of a woven mesh or knitted mesh. The process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the substance or substance mixture which is used for stripping is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, nitrogen, argon, hydrocarbons, preferably saturated hydrocarbons, particularly preferably methane. The process according to claim 3, wherein nitrogen or a mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen is used for stripping. The process according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein stripping is carried out at from 70 to 250°C, preferably from 100 to 150°C. The process according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the hydrogenation catalyst is rinsed with a preferably nonpolar organic solvent or solvent mixture in addition to stripping. The process according to claim 6, wherein rinsing is carried out at ambient temperature. The process according to claim 6 or 7, wherein rinsing is carried out for a period of from 15 minutes to a plurality of days. The process according to any of claims 6 to 8 carried out in situ, preferably in supernatant solvent and/or in solvent circulated by means of a pump. The process according to any of claims 6 to 8 carried out ex situ, preferably in supernatant solvent and/or in solvent circulated by means of a pump, preferably with additional sparging with gas and/or with the aid of ultrasound. The process according to any of claims 6 to 10, wherein the hydrogenation catalyst is firstly rinsed and subsequently stripped. A process for the repeated regeneration of a hydrogenation catalyst, which comprises regenerating the hydrogenation catalyst two or more times by stripping according to any of claims 1 to 5 or by rinsing and stripping according to any of claims 6 to 11 and subsequently by oxidative treatment or a combination of stripping according to any of claims 1 to 5 or rinsing and stripping according to any of claims 6 to 11 and oxidative treatment. The process according to any of claims 1 to 12, wherein the active composition comprises, as hydrogenation-active metal, palladium, preferably silver-doped palladium.