Dynamic analysis of adsorption equilibrium and rate parameters of reactants and products in MTBE, ETBE and TAME production

Adsorption equilibrium constants of ethanol, methanol, isobutylene, isoamyl enes (2M2B, 2M1B), MTBE and TAME on Amberlyst 15 catalyst were evaluated fr om the packed bed moment technique. Adsorption equilibrium constants of alc ohols were found to be two orders of magnitude greater than the adsorption equilibrium constants of i-olefins and the corresponding tertiary ethers. H owever, their apparent heat of adsorption values are quite low (-6,7 kJ/mol and -8.3 kJ/mol for methanol and ethanol, respectively). Among the i-olefi ns, isobutylene gave the highest adsorption equilibrium constant and the he at of adsorption (-54.2 kJ/mol). The adsorption equilibrium constant of 2M2 B on a catalyst, which was pretreated with ethanol, was about three times g reater than the corresponding value obtained on fresh catalyst. Second mome nt analysis indicated that diffusion resistance in both macropores and micr ospheres of the catalyst are equally significant.