FIXED-BED ADSORBER DYNAMICS IN BINARY PHYSISORPTION-DIFFUSION

Reactions carried out under conditions close to the equilibrium vapour pressure of the participating species involve physisorption on the ca talyst surface. Such conditions are encountered for propene metathesis over rhenium oxide/gamma-alumina catalyst at room temperature. The so rption-diffusion effects were tested by excluding effects due to react ion. Single-component sorption characteristics were determined by stea dy-state experiments. The model equations comprising several different ial and nonlinear algebraic equations were solved by orthogonal colloc ation within the method of lines. The model predictions were tested ag ainst transient experiments performed in a gradientless, internal reci rculation reactor.