Effect of zeolite ratios on transalkylation of 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene with toluene on clinoptilolite-ZSM5-beta triplet zeolite catalyst

In recent years, due to environmental pressures, reducing the benzene and aromatic ratio in gasoline, some of the heavy reformat obtained from the reforming unit of petrochemical industry, which is added to gasoline, has been out of use, thus excess supply has occurred. This heavy reformat contains a significant amount of 1,2,4-Trimethyl Benzene (1,2,4-TMB) and its evaluation is important. The best assessment of this product is the production of xylenes with high commercial value (especially p-xylene) by transalkylation with toluene, and intensive studies are being carried out on this topic. Transalkylation of toluene with 1,2,4-TMB is useful for converting such lower aromatics to economically produce xylene over an active and stable catalyst. Different zeolite catalysts have been investigated in the literature on the conversion of excess supply heavy reformate component 1,2,4-TMB from the reforming unit to valuable aromatics such as xylene. In order to increase the yield of the xylene obtained from here, the results of the transalkylation reactions Clinoptilolite-ZSM5-Beta triple zeolite catalyst has not been investigated. The aim of this study to produce xylene by transalkylation of 1,2,4-TMB and Toluene on Clinoptilolite-ZSM-5-Beta triple zeolite catalyst. For this purpose, a catalyst was prepared in different ratios in Clinoptilolite-ZSM-5-Beta triple zeolite and used in the transalkylation of toluene with 1,2,4-TMB in a fixed bed continuous system. As a result, GC-MS analyses of the liquid products obtained as a result of the experimental tansalkylation reaction were performed, and the variation of the products with the zeolite ratio, temperature and weight hour space velocity were investigated. BET, XRF, SEM/EDS, FTIR analyzes were performed for catalyst characterization and the results were interpreted. The results of the experimental study show that the toluene conversion is higher at low temperature and low flow rate. The highest toluene conversion was calculated as 95.2% in WHSV (Weight Hourly Space Velocity) 1 at 400oC on the synthesized H-KL-ZSM5-Beta catalyst at a ratio of 1:2:1. Heavy reformate conversion generally reached higher values at low temperature and low space velocity. However, the highest heavy reformate conversion value was found as 98.31% in the reaction carried out on the triple catalyst synthesized in WHSV3 at a ratio of 2:1:1 at 450oC. P/m-xylene yield results generally reached high values at high temperature and high flow rate. The highest yield value was calculated as 31.64% in WHSV2 at 450oC on H-Beta catalyst. The highest percent of selectivity for p/m-xylene and o-xylene was calculated as 64.89% and 39.60%, respectively, in WHSV2 at 450°C on H-Beta catalyst. The coke determination results vary between 0.08% and 2.05%. It was observed that the lowest amount of coke was obtained in the H-ZSM5 catalyst, and the highest amount of coke was obtained in the Ni-loaded triple catalyst.