Optimization of ethylene production via catalytic partial oxidation of ethane on Pt–LaMnO3 catalyst

A novel catalyst formulation (Pt-LaMnO3) was recently developed and disclosed for ethylene production via the catalytic partial oxidation of ethane at short contact time. In this paper we report results of the extensive experimental campaign performed on the Pt-LaMnO3 system for the tuning and optimization of process parameters, which, in turn, shed light on the effect of the main variables controlling overall performance. The novel catalytic system under optimized operating conditions was capable of performances better than state-of-the art systems, with ethylene yields exceeding 65% while preserving selectivities above 80% under self-sustained operation, by adding H2 as a sacrificial fuel in a simple reactor configuration, thus suggesting to reconsider the economical viability of ethylene production by ethane CPO at short contact time.