Applying monolith reactors for hydrogenations in the production of specialty chemicals—process and economic considerations

Monolith catalysts, mainstays in gas-phase automotive and environmental process applications, have found new potential in replacing three-phase slurry reactors for the production of specialty chemicals, especially when their advantages are fully utilized in recirculation loop approaches. Many econom...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Catalysis today Vol. 105; no. 3; pp. 305 - 317
Main Authors:	Machado, Reinaldo M., Broekhuis, Robert R., Nordquist, Andrew F., Roy, Brian P., Carney, Steven R.
Format:	Journal Article Conference Proceeding
Language:	English
Published:	Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15-08-2005 Elsevier Science
Subjects:	Catalysis Chemistry Exact sciences and technology General and physical chemistry Hydrogenation Monolith reactors Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry Three-phase slurry reactors Monolith reactors Hydrogenation Three-phase slurry reactors Heterogeneous catalysis Reactor
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Summary:	Monolith catalysts, mainstays in gas-phase automotive and environmental process applications, have found new potential in replacing three-phase slurry reactors for the production of specialty chemicals, especially when their advantages are fully utilized in recirculation loop approaches. Many economic and logistical benefits for removing slurry catalysts drive the investment into monolith technology, both for new capacity and for retrofits onto existing stirred tank reactors. Benefits are most pronounced for fast reaction chemistries, where monolith catalysts can achieve volumetric activities several times higher than slurry reactors. This paper demonstrates how engineering design and scale-up can be performed using fundamental equations and literature correlations in combination with pilot plant measurements and presents an economic analysis emphasizing monolith catalyst life as a critical variable. Efforts to develop replacement catalysts must therefore integrate efficient catalyst fabrication and lab testing into the evaluation process.
ISSN:	0920-5861 1873-4308
DOI:	10.1016/j.cattod.2005.06.036