Abstract: In an endothermic steam active catalytic process employing a fixed catalyst bed in a fuel fired reactor for the dehydrogenation of alkanes to alkenes, wherein a reaction temperature above about 500.degree. C. (932.degree. F.) is maintained for commercially feasible conversions, and wherein catalyst activity declines during a production period, apparatus for control of a process temperature so as to compensate for catalyst activity decline includes a temperature sensor mounted in the reaction effluent stream in combination with a temperature controller which automatically adjusts the quantity of fuel supplied to the fired reactor.

Abstract: In a steam active catalytic process employing a fixed catalyst bed for the dehydrogenation of alkanes to alkenes wherein reaction temperatures above about 500.degree. C. (932.degree. F.) must be maintained for commercially feasible conversions, the decline in catalyst activity druing a production period is slowed by maintaining a substantially constant temperature for the reaction effluent while allowing the average temperature of the fixed catalyst bed to rise during a production period.

Abstract: A process for dehydrogenating C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 alkanes in the presence of steam and a catalyst composition containing zinc aluminate, a tin oxide and platinum, wherein the zinc aluminate support material has been prepared by calcining zinc oxide and a hydrated alumina (so as to alleviate coking during the dehydrogenation process).