New routes for complete regeneration of coked zeolite
Résumé
Among alternative techniques to overcome the difficulties associated with thermal regeneration of coked zeolite, non-thermal plasma can be considered as one of the most promising technology. A complete regeneration of zeolite can be achieved at room temperature with a low energy consumption. The active species responsible for catalyst regeneration are the short-lived oxygenated species and not ozone. Based on EPR analysis, which allows the mapping of radicals, the active species generated by NTP are able to diffuse within zeolite eliminating coke molecules. The efficiency of regeneration is directly related to the number of active species present in gas phase. A simple way to increase their concentration consists to substitute N2 by a noble gas as He. In this case, coke is totally oxidized into CO2, 6 times faster than under air.