To provide a method for reducing a catalyst containing copper oxide by introducing a gas containing hydrogen and a liquid into a catalyst-filled part, with the help of a reactor having the catalyst-filled part in which the catalyst containing the copper oxide is packed and a gas-liquid separation part, this method capable of inhibiting the sintering of a metallic copper contained in the catalyst obtained by reduction process and keeping the strength of the catalyst high.
This method of reducing a catalyst containing copper oxide is to reduce the catalyst containing the copper oxide with the help of a reactor equipped with the catalyst-filled part 5 in which the catalyst containing the copper oxide is packed and the gas-liquid separation part 10. Further, the reactor operates through the steps to, first, introduce the gas containing hydrogen and the liquid into the catalyst-filled part 5, then introduce the gas containing hydrogen and the liquid, both extracted from the outlet of the catalyst-filled part 5, into the gas-liquid separation part 10 and separate the gas containing hydrogen and the liquid both introduced, at the gas-liquid separation part 10, and introduce the separated liquid into the catalyst-filled part 5. The moisture density of the liquid at the outlet of the catalyst-filled part 5 is set to be not more than 1,500 wt.ppm.
NIWA NOBUFUMI
KOIKE HIROFUMI
NIPPON OXIRANE KK
Toru Sakamoto