Cold flow studies and computer simulation of a slurry transport reactor for the alkylation of isobutane using zeolite-based catalysts

The mixing characteristics of a slurry transport column have been investiga ted by residence time distribution measurements in a pilot plant scale cold flow unit. The column (3 m high, 0.15 m ID) simulates a slurry reactor des ign proposed for the paraffin-olefin alkylation process with zeolite cataly sts. The experimental results show that high levels of mixing are achieved in the bottom zone of the column through an especially designed slurry dist ributor, while the overall column response can approach the desired well-mi xed behavior at sufficiently high recycle ratios. The effect of various pro cess parameters, such as the paraffin-to-olefin ratio, the catalyst holdup, and the product recycle ratio, on the slurry reactor performance were inve stigated by computer simulation using a literature kinetic scheme for alkyl ation with zeolite catalysts. The simulation results suggest that mixing in side the reactor must be further enhanced by additional means, e.g., stagew ise addition of olefin, if the catalyst holdup is not to exceed the upper l imit for Newtonian behavior. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights rese rved.