Regeneration of supported-nickel catalysts

摘要

This invention describes a method of regenerating the activity of deactivated supported-nickel catalysts that have lost activity after use as a hydrogenation catalyst in the finishing stage of the process of conversion of butynediol to butanediol. The method comprises contacting said deactivated catalyst with hydrogen at a temperature of about 200 DEG to 500 DEG C. to convert surface polymers to gaseous compounds and removing said gaseous compounds from the vicinity of the thus-treated catalyst. In the preferred form of the invention, in a single step, a slow stream of hydrogen is passed through the deactivated catalyst in situ as a fixed bed and the gaseous compounds are removed simultaneously in the hydrogen stream.