Catalytic reactor engineering

The course will highlight the main aspects of industrial catalysts (preparation and shaping process, mechanical and thermal properties, Effective diffusion of reactants/products within the particle). A reminder regarding conversion, selectivity and stability will be given. The deactivation and therefore the regeneration of catalysts will be detailed. After the main catalytic reactor will be overviewed (CSTR, PFR, fluidized bed) along with largest industrial processes (Haber Bosch, FCC, examples of C1 chemistry). Mass transfer limitations will be discussed (Thiele Weisz, Damköhler number, Mears criteria) along with kinetics for heterogeneous catalysed reactions. As an outline, a novel concept of integrated bio-refinery will be studied and discussed on an engineering basis (cost of the process, recycling).

Being able to determine X, S; estimate Deff, Thiele-Weisz modulus. Know the main differences between PFR and CSTR reactors. Try to better use (or re-use) existing infrastructures / reagents for other purposes. Better understanding of the important chemical industrial processes (ammonia, FCC, methanol, sulfuric acid, sodium carbonate…)
 

Chemical reaction Engineering (O. Levenspiel)
Chemische Reaktionstechnik (A. Renken)

Basics in physical chemistry, kinetics, chemistry of materials