Reactive Stripping in Structured Catalytic Reactors Hydrodynamics and Reaction Performance

Reactive Stripping in Structured Catalytic Reactors Hydrodynamics and Reaction Performance 

TilmanJ. Schildhauer, Freek Kapteijn, Achim K. Heibel, 

In the field of integrated processes, reactive separations are prominently present due to the high degree of synergy to be achieved in many processes [1, 2]. Reactive separations can have positive effects on the conversion, as well as on the selectivity in a process. 

In the case of equilibrium-limited reactions, the combination of reaction and separation in one (multifunctional) apparatus allows equilibrium limitations to be overcome by removing one or more products from the phase in which the reaction takes place. If a catalyst is present in a process, in-situ removal of an inhibiting product, which strongly adsorbs onto the catalyst surface, will lead to a higher catalyst activity and lifetime. 

In separations limited by azeotrope formation under nonreactive conditions, the addition of a reaction (that is, usually adding catalyst) constantly changes the concentrations such that the separation continues beyond the azeotrope. In processes with coupled products (enantiomers, ortho-/meta-/para-substitution), the in-situ removal of the desired product will favor the reaction towards this product, and will therefore strongly increase the selectivity. 

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