Patent ID: 7741501

Claim:
A process for carrying out heterogeneously catalyzed hydrogenation reactions in a fixed-bed reactor, comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one main reactor containing a first amount of catalyst; (b) providing a first auxiliary reactor connected in selective fluid communication with said at least one main reactor such that it can be operated up stream or downstream of said main reactor and having contained therein a second amount of catalyst, said first amount of catalyst being relatively larger than said second amount of catalyst; (c) providing a second auxiliary reactor connected in selective fluid communication with said main reactor such that it can be operated upstream or downstream of said main reactor and having contained therein a third amount of catalyst, wherein the first amount of catalyst is relatively larger than the third amount of catalyst, said second and third amounts being the same or different; (d) during a first phase of operation of said process, (i) passing a starting product of a fatty compound through the first auxiliary reactor and reacting the starting product with hydrogen in the presence of the catalyst; (ii) continuing the reaction through the at least one main reactor to produce a main reactor effluent; and (iii) introducing said main reactor effluent into the second auxiliary reactor and continuing the reaction through the second auxiliary reactor; and (e) during a second phase of operation of said process, (i) selectively removing the first auxiliary reactor from fluid communication with the at least first main reactor and reactivating the catalyst in the first auxiliary reactor, (ii) passing a starting product of a fatty compound through the second auxiliary reactor and reacting the starting product with hydrogen in the presence of the catalyst, and (iii) continuing the reaction through the at least one main reactor to produce a main reactor effluent.