Shock calcined aluminosilicate zeolites

Claim 2

A catalyst comprising a zeolite prepared by the process comprising: (a) precalcining an aluminosilicate zeolite at a temperature below the temperature to which the zeolite is heated in step (b) but sufficiently high vaporize water and desorb volatile components; (b) thermally shock calcining the precalcined alumino-silicate zeolite by rapidly increasing the temperature of said precalcined zeolite at a rate between about 3° F./second and about 200,000° F./second to a relatively high temperature between about 1600° F. and about 2100° F. and maintaining said relatively high temperature for a period of time between about 0.1 second and about 20 minutes, said period of time being sufficiently short to avoid substantial sintering; and (c) cooling the thermally shock calcined alumino-silicate zeolite at a rate sufficiently rapid to avoid substantial sintering and substantial loss of catalystic activity from said shock calcining.

Claim 3

A catalyst as defined by claim 1 wherein said precalcination temperature is about 400° or more below said relatively high temperature.

Claim 4

A catalyst as defined by claim 1 wherein the temperature of said precalcined aluminosilicate zeolite in step (b) is increased to said relatively high temperature at a rate between about 10° F./second and about 1000° F./second and maintained at said relatively high temperature for a period of time between about 0.5 second and about 10 minutes.

Claim 5

A catalyst as defined by claim 1 wherein the temperature of said precalcined aluminosilicate zeolite in step (b) is increased to a relatively high temperature between about 1800° F. and 2000° F. and maintained at said relatively high temperature for a period of time between about 1.0 second and about 5 minutes.

Claim 6

A catalyst as defined by claim 1 wherein said aluminosilicate zeolite is precalcined at a temperature in the range between about 700° F. and about 1100° F.

Claim 7

A catalyst as defined by claim 1 wherein said aluminosilicate zeolite is precalcined at a temperature in the range between about 700° F. and about 900° F.

Claim 8

A catalyst as defined by claim 1 wherein said thermally shock calcined aluminosilicate zeolite is rapidly cooled to a temperature below about 1000° F.

Claim 9

A catalyst as defined by claim 7 wherein said thermally shock calcined aluminosilicate zeolite is rapidly cooled to a temperature below about 1000° F. by passing the thermally shock calcined aluminosilicate zeolite through a tube immersed in water.

Claim 10

A catalyst as defined by claim 7 wherein said thermally shock calcined aluminosilicate zeolite is rapidly cooled to a temperature below about 1000° F. by contacting the thermally shock calcined aluminosilicate zeolite with a stream of cold air.

Claim 11

A catalyst as defined by claim 7 wherein said thermally shock calcined aluminosilicate zeolite is rapidly cooled to a temperature below about 1000° F. by flowing the thermally shock calcined aluminosilicate zeolite over an inclined, cooled metal plate.

Claim 12

A catalyst as defined by claim 7 wherein said thermally shock calcined aluminosilicate zeolite is rapidly cooled to a temperature below about 1000° F. by quenching the thermally shock calcined aluminosilicate zeolite in a liquid medium.

Claim 13

A catalyst as defined by claim 7 wherein said thermally shock calcined aluminosilicate zeolite is rapidly cooled to a temperature below about 1000° F. by passing the thermally shock calcined aluminosilicate zeolite through a rotating cooled tube.

Claim 14

A catalyst as defined by claim 1 wherein said aluminosilicate zeolite comprises a crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite of the ZSM-5 type.

Claim 15

A catalyst as defined by claim 1 further comprising an inorganic refractory oxide component.

Claim 16

A catalyst as defined by claim 14 further comprising a hydrogenation component.

Claim 17

A catalyst as defined by claim 14 further comprising a promoter selected from the group consisting of phosphorus components, magnesium components, boron components, antimony components, arsenic components, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 18

A catalyst as defined by claim 14 further comprising a phosphorus component.

Claim 19

A catalyst comprising a zeolite and an inorganic refractory oxide component prepared by the process comprising: (a) precalcining a mixture of an aluminosilicate zeolite and an inorganic refractory oxide component at a temperature below the temperature to which said mixture is heated in step (b) but sufficiently high to vaporize water and desorb volatile components; (b) thermally shock calcining said precalcined mixture by rapidly increasing the temperature of said precalcined mixture at a rate between about 3° F./second and about 200,000° F./second to a relatively high temperature between about 1600° F. and about 2100° F. and maintaining said relatively high temperature for a period of time between about 0.1 second and about 20 minutes, said period of time being sufficiently short to avoid substantial sintering; and (c) cooling the thermally shock calcined mixture at a rate sufficiently rapid to avoid substantial sintering and substantial loss of catalytic activity from said shock calcining.

Claim 20

A catalyst comprising a zeolite and an inorganic refractory oxide component prepared by the process comprising: (a) precalcining a mixture of an aluminosilicate zeolite and an inorganic refractory oxide component at a temperature below the temperature to which said mixture is heated in step (b) but sufficiently high to vaporize water and desorb volatile components; (b) thermally shock calcining said precalcined mixture by rapidly increasing the temperature of said precalcined mixture at a rate between about 3° F./second and about 200,000° F./second to a relatively high temperature between about 1600° F. and about 2100° F. and maintaining said relatively high temperature for a period of time between about 0.1 second and about 20 minutes, said period of time being sufficiently short to avoid substantial sintering; and (c) cooling the thermally shock calcined mixture at a rate sufficiently rapid to avoid substantial sintering and substantial loss of catalytic activity from said shock calcining.

Claim 21

A catalyst as defined by claim 18 wherein said mixture in step (a) further comprises a phosphorus component.

Claim 22

A catalyst comprising a zeolite prepared by the process consisting essentially of: (a) precalcining an aluminosilicate zeolite at a temperature below the temperature to which the zeolite is heated in step (b) but sufficiently high to vaporize water and desorb volatile components; (b) thermally shock calcining the precalcined aluminosilicate zeolite by rapidly increasing the temperature of said precalcined zeolite at a rate between about 3° F./second and about 200,000° F./second to a relatively high temperature between about 1600° F. and about 2100° F. and maintaining said relatively high temperature for a period of time between about 0.1 second and about 20 minutes, said period of time being sufficiently short to avoid substantial sintering; and (c) cooling the thermally shock calcined aluminosilicate zeolite at a rate sufficiently rapid to avoid substantial sintering and substantial loss of catalytic activity from said shock calcining.

Claim 23

A catalyst comprising a zeolite prepared by the process consisting essentially of: (a) precalcining an aluminosilicate zeolite at a temperature below the temperature to which the zeolite is heated in step (b) but sufficiently high to vaporize water and desorb volatile components; (b) thermally shock calcining the precalcined aluminosilicate zeolite by rapidly increasing the temperature of said precalcined zeolite at a rate between about 3° F./second and about 200,000° F./second to a relatively high temperature between about 1600° F. and about 2100° F. and maintaining said relatively high temperature for a period of time between about 0.1 second and about 20 minutes, said period of time being sufficiently short to avoid substantial sintering; and (c) cooling the thermally shock calcined aluminosilicate zeolite at a rate sufficiently rapid to avoid substantial sintering and substantial loss of catalytic activity from said shock calcining.