Transport phenomena theoretical analysis

The starting point of a number of theoretical studies of packed catalytic reactors, where an exothermic reaction is carried out, is an analysis of heat and mass transfer in a single porous catalyst since such system is obviously more conductive to reasonable, analytical or numerical treatment. As can be expected the mutual interaction of transport effects and chemical kinetics may give rise to multiple steady states and oscillatory behavior as well. Research on multiplicity in catalysis has been strongly influenced by the classic paper by Weisz and Hicks (5) predicting occurrence of multiple steady states caused by intrapellet heat and mass intrusions alone. The literature abounds with theoretical analysis of various aspects of this phenomenon however, there is a dearth of reported experiments in this area. Later the possiblity of oscillatory activity has been reported (6). 

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