Abstract: A novel coated catalyst having an outer shell which is composed of a catalyst material having high surface area and contains molybdenum, vanadium, tellurium and niobium, and the use of this catalyst for the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethene or the oxidation of propane to acrylic acid and also a process for producing the catalyst is disclosed.

Abstract: A catalytic converter arrangement for producing phthalic anhydride by means of a gas phase oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons, comprising a reactor with a gas inlet side for a reactant gas, a gas outlet side for a product gas, a first catalytic converter layer made of catalytic converter elements, and at least one second catalytic converter layer made of catalytic converter elements. The first catalytic converter layer is arranged on the gas inlet side, and the second catalytic converter layer is arranged downstream of the first catalytic converter layer in the gas flow direction. The catalytic converter elements have an outer layer of an active compound. The invention is characterized in that the active compound content in the first catalytic converter layer and/or in the second catalytic converter layer is below 7 wt.

Abstract: The invention relates to a catalyst arrangement for preparing phthalic anhydride by gas-phase oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons, which comprises a reactor having a gas inlet end for a feed gas and a gas outlet end for a product gas and also a first catalyst zone made up of catalyst bodies and at least one second catalyst zone made up of catalyst bodies, where the first catalyst zone is arranged at the gas inlet end and the second catalyst zone is arranged downstream of the first catalyst zone in the gas flow direction and the length of the first catalyst zone in the gas flow direction is less than the length of the second catalyst zone in the gas flow direction, characterized in that the first catalyst zone has a higher gap content compared to the second catalyst zone.

Abstract: Moldings based on silica having a hollow cylindrical configuration with internal reinforcing stays or spokes leading from an inner wall of a hollow cylinder to the center of the molding or in the form of miniliths having passageway channels therethrough, are produced by homogenizing silica with methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, wax and/or polyethylene glycol. Water and optionally aqueous alkaline ammonia solution are added, and the mixture is subjected to kneading and forming, extruding, optionally cutting the extrudate to the desired length by means of a cutting device, drying at a temperature from 20 to 150° C., and annealing for a period from 30 minutes to 10 hours at a temperature of 400 to 1200° C. The moldings can be used as catalyst supports for the production of unsaturated esters from olefins, organic acids and oxygen in the gas phase and and can be used in particular for the production of vinyl acetate monomer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a ball collector for a device for returning balls for the cleaning of the tubes of cooling systems operated with a fluid, namely water, comprising a casing which is subdivided into an upper chamber with an inlet for the balls and a lower chamber with an outlet for the balls, in which between the upper and the lower chambers is provided an opening which can be closed by a movable flap in the closed position thereof and can be opened in the open position thereof, the upper chamber having a strainer screen being connected to the lower chamber by a bypass line having a pump, through which water can be pumped from the upper chamber into the lower chamber.