Fixed-bed catalytic converter

K9. Kjaer, J., Measurement and Calculation of Temperature and Conversion in Fixed-Bed Catalytic Converters. Gjellerups Forlag, Copenhagen, 1958. 

Table 7.6 Feed flowrate and heat-transfer parameters for the fixed- bed catalytic converter.

Oxidation of SO2 to SO3 is accomplished in multi-stage fixed-bed catalytic converters equipped with interstage boilers or heat exchangers to remove the heat of reaction. Typically, four stages are compartmented within a single vertical converter, which may... 

Xylene Isomerization. After separation of the preferred xylenes, ie, PX or OX, using the adsorption or crystallization processes discussed herein, the remaining raffinate stream, which tends to be rich in MX, is typically fed to a xylenes isomerization unit in order to further produce the preferred xylenes. Isomerization units are fixed-bed catalytic processes that are used to produce a close-to-equiUbrium mixture of the xylenes. To prevent the buildup of EB in the recycle loop, the catalysts are also designed to convert EB to either xylenes, benzene and lights, or benzene and diethylbenzene. 

The feed stream containing H2S is incinerated with air to oxidize all sulfur compounds to SO2. The heat of combustion is partially recovered by raiding medium-pressure steam (400-600 psig) in a waste heat boiler. The gas is washed and demisted, then dried with concentrated H2S0i. The gas is then compressed, preheated, and enters a fixed-bed catalytic reactor. In the reactor SO2 is converted to S0a ... 

Kjaer (K9) gives a very comprehensive study of concentration and temperature profiles in fixed-bed catalytic reactors. Both theoretical and experimental work is reported for a phthallic anhydride reactor and various types of ammonia converters. Fair agreement was obtained, but due to the lack of sufficiently accurate thermodynamic and kinetic data, definite conclusions as to the suitability of the dispersed plug flow model could not be reached. However, the results seemed to indicate that the... 

S02 gas is catalytically oxidized to S03 in a fixed bed reactor (converter) which operates adiabatically in each catalyst pass. The heat of reaction raises the process gas temperature in the first pass to approximately 600°C (see Table 7). The temperature of hot gas exiting the first pass is then lowered to the desired second pass inlet temperature (430—450°C) by removing the heat of reaction in a steam superheater or second boiler. 

Industrial fixed-bed catalytic reactors have a wide range of different configurations. The configuration of the reactor itself may give rise to multiplicity of the steady states when other sources alone are not sufficient to produce the phenomenon. Most well known is the case of catalytic reactors where the gas phase is in plug flow and all diffusional resistances are negligible, while the reaction is exothermic and is countercurrently cooled. One typical example for this is the TVA type ammonia converter [38-40]. 

This step is necessary due to MDEA s inability to absorb COS that was formed in the gasifier. In a conventional hydrolysis process, water-saturated syngas is passed through a fixed-bed catalytic hydrolysis reactor where 85%-95% of the COS is converted to H2S (COS at l 10ppm). Once COS is converted to H2S, it is readily absorbed by the MDEA process. 

A new process that converts propylene and water to diisopropyl ether (DIPE) was developed by Mobil Research Development Corp. DIPE is a high-octane gasoline blending agent which, unlike other ethers, utilizes propylene in its synthesis. The DIPE reaction takes place in a fixed-bed catalytic reactor via a series of reaction steps. Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) is an intermediate which is recycled within the process. A propane/propylene splitter is included in the feed purification section to increase the concentration of propylene in the feed and maximize the DIPE production. DIPE utilizes propylene from the refinery and does not depend on an outside supply of alcohol. DIPE has similar octane blending values of RON and MON as other ethers like MTBE and TAME. DIPE also has a lower Reid vapor pressure than that of MTBE. DIPE is virtually nontoxic and has not caused adverse systemic effects or tissue toxicity [66]. 

Thermochemical Liquefaction. Most of the research done since 1970 on the direct thermochemical Hquefaction of biomass has been concentrated on the use of various pyrolytic techniques for the production of Hquid fuels and fuel components (96,112,125,166,167). Some of the techniques investigated are entrained-flow pyrolysis, vacuum pyrolysis, rapid and flash pyrolysis, ultrafast pyrolysis in vortex reactors, fluid-bed pyrolysis, low temperature pyrolysis at long reaction times, and updraft fixed-bed pyrolysis. Other research has been done to develop low cost, upgrading methods to convert the complex mixtures formed on pyrolysis of biomass to high quaHty transportation fuels, and to study Hquefaction at high pressures via solvolysis, steam—water treatment, catalytic hydrotreatment, and noncatalytic and catalytic treatment in aqueous systems. 

---