Veba-Chemie process

The catalytic synthesis of acetaldehyde by partial oxidation of ethanol is actually an industrial process, the Veba-Chemie process, in which ethanol vapor—air mixture is passed over a heterogeneous silver catalyst at 500—650 °C. In fact, acetaldehyde is also a co-product in the conventional direct ethanol fuel cell, with acetic acid and CO2, because of the difficulty of C—C bond breakage even on Pt-based electrocatalysts, but the selectivity is low (Rousseau, Coutanceau, Lamy, L6ger, 2006). 

Benzoraffln A hydrofining process for treating naphtha fractions derived from coal. It is a fixed-bed, gas-phase process using a cobalt/molybdenum oxide catalyst. Developed jointly by BASF, Veba-Chemie, and Lurgi, Ground 1960. 

Traditionally, ethanol has been made from ethylene by sulfation followed by hydrolysis of the ethyl sulfate so produced. This type of process has the disadvantages of severe corrosion problems, the requirement for sulfuric acid reconcentration, and loss of yield caused by ethyl ether formation. Recently a successful direct catalytic hydration of ethylene has been accomplished on a commercial scale. This process, developed by Veba-Chemie in Germany, uses a fixed bed catalytic reaction system. Although direct hydration plants have been operated by Shell Chemical and Texas Eastman, Veba claims technical and economic superiority because of new catalyst developments. Because of its economic superiority, it is now replacing the sulfuric acid based process and has been licensed to British Petroleum in the United Kingdom, Publicker Industries in the United States, and others. By including ethanol dehydrogenation facilities, Veba claims that acetaldehyde can be produced indirectly from ethylene by this combined process at costs competitive with the catalytic oxidation of ethylene. 

---