Model comparison and sensitivity analysis for a fixed bed reactor with twocatalytic zones

In this work, comparisons between the behaviour predicted by different type s of mathematical models are presented. The system studied was the partial oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde, which occurs in a fixed bed reactor with two distinct zones: at the entrance the catalyst is diluted with inert , followed by a region with pure catalyst. This type of distribution of the catalyst activity leads to different temperature and concentration profile s, when compared with those obtained by a uniform activity bed. Parametric sensitivity is examined for all the dimensionless parameters associated to the different mathematical models of the reactor. The parametric sensitivit y analysis shows that the system is particularly sensitive to the wall temp erature and almost insensitive to the side reaction and mass transfer param eters. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.