STEADY-STATE SIMULATION OF A PACKED-BED REACTOR FOR THE PARTIAL OXIDATION OF METHANOL TO FORMALDEHYDE - INFLUENCE OF DIFFUSIONAL PHENOMENA AND CATALYST ACTIVITY DISTRIBUTION WITHIN THE PELLETS

The scope of this work is to present a rear case in which reactor perf ormance predicted theoretically, avoiding the numerical integration wi thin the particle, is compared with experimental findings. The influen ce of realistic catalytic activity distributions are also studied sinc e minimum extra efforts are needed with the procedure presented in thi s contribution. The partial oxidation of methanol in a tubular catalyt ic reactor, studied by Windes et al. (1989), giving rise to formaldehy de and carbon monoxide as main reaction products, was used as example for the application of our procedure. Both, inter and intraparticle, d iffusional limitations were taken into account. Experimental data and theoretical predictions along the reactor were compared in terms of ou tlet conversion and temperature profiles showing a fairly good agreeme nt which gives support to the procedure developed in this contribution to predict. reactor performance. Furthermore, the effect of different realistic activity distribution function was simulated and its influe nce on the reactor performance is shown. The obtained results are disc ussed and some interesting conclusions are withdrawn.