KINETICS OF GLUCOSE HYDROGENATION IN A TRICKLE-BED REACTOR

The kinetics of the catalytic hydrogenation of aqueous solutions of D- glucose to produce sorbitol was studied in a high pressure trickle-bed reactor with cocurrent downflow mode. The hydrogenation reactions wer e performed on a supported nickel catalyst in the temperature range 34 3 to 403 K and in the pressure range 4 to 12 MPa. Reaction rates were measured on the catalyst extrudates as such or after crushing and siev ing them. The kinetic data obtained from measurements of the initial r eaction rates as a function of temperature, pressure and mass of catal yst were interpreted with a Langmuir-Hinshelwood rate law where the re action between adsorbed glucose and hydrogen is the rate-determining s tep.