The
spray-forming process of the nano-titanium silicalite (TS-1) zeolite
was investigated and optimized in the lab in order to obtain materials
with microsphere morphology and superior catalytic activity in cyclohexanone
ammoximation on the industrial scale. The effects of spray-forming
parameters, such as the state of the TS-1 raw material, load ratio,
solid content, binder content, and calcination temperature, on the
physicochemical and catalytic properties of TS-1 microspheres were
investigated in detail. It was interesting to find that the shape
of the spray-forming sample formed by wet powders was more intact
than the sample formed by dried powders. Furthermore, the spray-forming
process was successfully scaled up to a large spray device (LGZ-1000)
according to the similarity principle of load ratio, and the shape
of the TS-1 microspheres was as perfect as the spray-forming samples
in the lab. The similarity principle of the load ratio for the spray-forming
of titanium silicate was established and verified for the first time.
The spray-forming TS-1 microspheres produced in the industry were
used in cyclohexanone ammoximation, and ketone conversion and oxime
selectivity were as high as 99.9 and 99.4%, respectively.