Development and Simulation of Exhaust Gas Recycling Process for n-Butane Oxidation to Maleic Anhydride
YANG Xiaojun1, YUAN Shiling2, TONG Mingliang2, ZHANG Lingling2, LI Lanpeng3, ZHANG Xia3, JIANG Binbo2
1. Yizheng Chemical Fiber Company Limited, SINOPEC, Yizheng 211900, China;
2. College of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China;
3. SINOPEC Dalian Research Institute of Petroleum and Petrochemicals Company Limited, Dalian 116041, China
Abstract：To mitigate the high exhaust emissions, low raw material utilization, and high costs of traditional separation-recovery processes in the industrial air oxidation of n-butane to maleic anhydride (MA), this study develops a direct exhaust gas recycling technology that requires no pre-separation, aiming to reduce energy consumption while ensuring safety. A dual-triangular reaction network distinguishing CO and CO2 was proposed, and an intrinsic kinetic model was established over the domestic FVO-1 VPO catalyst. Statistical validation confirmed that the model predicts all species (including CO and CO2) with deviations below 5% (R2>0.95). Aspen Plus simulations revealed that recycling 40% of the exhaust gas reduces n-butane consumption by 5.7% while maintaining the same MA yield, corresponding to an annual CO2 reduction of 14800 tons. Analysis based on Le Chatelier’s principle showed that increasing the recycle ratio significantly raises the lower explosive limit of the n-butane/air mixture (by up to 9.7%), enhancing the intrinsic safety of the reactor. This technology is compatible with existing air-oxidation MA plants, with an optimal recycling ratio of 0.4. The findings offer a feasible pathway for energy conservation and carbon reduction in the industry.
YANG Xiaojun,YUAN Shiling,TONG Mingliang et al. Development and Simulation of Exhaust Gas Recycling Process for n-Butane Oxidation to Maleic Anhydride[J]. Chemical Reaction Engineering and Technology, 2026, 42(3): 225-235.
