Apparatus for catalyst preparation by reactive sublimation

Claim 1

A process for preparing tantalum and/or niobium halide supported catalysts utilizing an apparatus which comprises: (a) a sealed hollow first tube having a top and a bottom, said first tube having an inlet port at the top of said first tube and an outlet port at the bottom of said first tube, (b) a second tube having a top and a bottom, said second tube being fitted tightly inside said first tube and located at the bottom of said first tube, said second tube having a porous membrane at the top and bottom of said second tube whereby gas is permeable and catalyst pellets are not permeable through said porous membrane, (c) a spacing means, (d) a third tube having a top and a bottom, said third tube being fitted tightly inside said first tube and separated from said second tube by said spacing means, said third tube having a porous membrane at the top and bottom of said third tube whereby gas is permeable, (e) a means for heating (b) and (d) to adjust the temperature of said second and third tubes, which process comprises: placing a catalyst support selected from the group consisting of silica, alumina and silica-alumina into said second tube, placing tantalum and/or niobium halide into said third tube, passing gas into said inlet port of said first tube and out at said outlet port of said first tube, subliming said tantalum and/or niobium halide by heating said third tube at a temperature ranging from about 140° C. to about 230° C. to form a tantalum and/or niobium halide vapor, and allowing said tantalum and/or niobium vapor to pass through said spacing means to allow expansion and dispersion of said tantalum and/or halide vapor into said second tube and contact with said catalyst support for a length of time sufficient to yield a tantalum and/or niobium halide supported catalyst.