SUPPORTED MOLTEN SALT DEHYDROGENTATION OF METHANOL

THE PROPOSED WORK INVOLVES APPLICATION OF SUPPORTED MOLTEN SALT CATALYSIS TO THE CATALYTIC ENDOTHERMIC DEHYDROGENATION OF METHANOL. THE CATALYSTS OF INTEREST INCLUDE EUTECTICS COMPOSED OF CU(+1) SALTS WITH HOMOGENEOUSLY DISPERSED ZN(+2) SALTS OR HETEROGENEOUSLY DISPERSED ZNO. IN ADDITION, THE STUDY WILL INCLUDE EVALUATION OF HETEROGENEOUS DISPERSIONS OF METALLIC PALLADIUM IN BINARY AND TERNARY EUTECTICS INVOLVING ALKALI METAL CHLORIDES AND HYDROXIDES. THE SUPPORTS TO BE EVALUATED ARE SILICA, ALUMINA, AND MONOLITH OR HONEYCOMB SUPPORTS HAVING SILICA OR ALUMINA SURFACES. THE METHODOLOGY USED WILL PERMIT EVALUATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF VARIOUS SYSTEMATIC AND OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS ON CATALYTIC ACTIVITY, RATES OF COMPETING SIDE REACTIONS, AND THE RATE OF CATALYST DEACTIVATION. THE OBJECTIVES WILL INVOLVE DETERMINATION OF THE CONDITIONS REQUIRED FOR OPTIMAL UTILIZATION OF THE CHEMICAL HEAT SINKS ASSOCAITED WITH METHANOL DEHYDROGENATION.