Novel microreactor with quench system for kinetic study of propane pyrolysis

A novel microreactor with a rapid direct quench system was developed to study fast hydrocarbon pyrolysis reactions. Heating of reactants inside the reactor was achieved by a Curie Point Pyrolyser. The propane pyrolysis reaction was studied at four different temperature levels: 600, 700, 800 and 900 °C. Pyrolysis times were varied from 0 to 2 s between 600 to 800°C and from 0 to 1 s at 900°C. The primary reaction products were methane, ethylene, hydrogen and propylene. Using a developed and very effective quench technique increased the production of olefins and reduced the formation of methane. A first‐order kinetic analysis performed on the experimental data between 600 and 700°C yielded an activation energy of 216 kJ/mol, which is in the range of other researchers.