Effect of periodic unsteady condition in the Taylor flow reactor for the gas-liquid-solid catalytic reaction

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25820388
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Reaction engineering/Process system
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Horie Takafumi 神戸大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (20513550)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: テイラーフロー / スラグフロー / 気液固触媒反応 / 水素化 / 構造体触媒 / 周期的変動操作 / 非定常 / プロセス強化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Based on the principle of the yield improvement by the periodic operation for trickle bed reactors generally employed for gas-liquid-solid catalytic reactions, Taylor flow (Slug flow), alternate two-phase flow generated in a tube, was applied for hydrogenation of alpha-methylstyrene (AMS) on the structured catalyst. It was palladium supported on alumina inner wall of an aluminum tube. The rate limiting step of this reaction is the mass transfer of hydrogen from gas phase to the catalyst surface through AMS film. When Taylor flow was generated in the tube reactor, the thickness of the liquid film on the catalyst wall became thinner periodically. The mass transfer of hydrogen was promoted, and as a result the apparent reaction rate was improved drastically. In addition, it was found out that the more the lateral area of gas slugs became, the higher the conversion of AMS could be obtained.

Free Research Field

工学