Ethanol oxidation in a trickle-bed reactor using a hydrophobic catalyst - Effect of dilution with hydrophilic particles

Ethanol oxidation at moderate temperature and atmospheric pressure is carri ed out in a trickle-bed reactor using a hydrophobic catalyst and pure oxyge n as the oxidizing agent. The influence of diluting the hydrophobic catalys t with different proportions of the hydrophilic inert support is particular ly studied by performing comparative experiments at different operating con ditions. Reactor performance is not significantly modified when the hydroph obic: catalyst is diluted with the hydrophilic support in a 50% mass propor tion. For a larger dilution, 75% (w/w), significant differences in ethanol conversions are found for certain conditions, presumably due to the influen ce of the liquid holdup, gas-liquid interfacial areas and wetting efficienc y characterizing a bed with a major proportion of hydrophilic particles. (C ) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.