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Kinetics and fixed‐bed reactor modeling of butane oxidation to maleic anhydride
Author(s) -
Sharma Ramesh K.,
Cresswell David L.,
Newson Esmond J.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
aiche journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.958
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1547-5905
pISSN - 0001-1541
DOI - 10.1002/aic.690370103
Subject(s) - butane , maleic anhydride , chemistry , isothermal process , kinetics , catalysis , thermodynamics , ignition system , atmospheric temperature range , continuous stirred tank reactor , chemical kinetics , analytical chemistry (journal) , materials science , chromatography , organic chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , copolymer , polymer
Selective oxidation kinetics of n‐butane to maleic anhydride in air were studied over a commercial, fixed‐bed vanadium‐phosphor oxide catalyst. The temperature range was 573–653 K with butane concentrations up to 3 mol % in the feed, which is within flammability limits but below ignition temperatures. The rate data were modeled using power law kinetics with product inhibition and included total oxidation and decomposition reactions. Kinetic parameters were estimated using a multiresponse, nonlinear regression algorithm showing intercorrelation effects. The kinetics were combined with independent measurements of catalyst diffusivity and reactor heat transfer using a one‐dimensional heterogeneous reactor model. Model predictions and observed temperatures and concentrations from non‐isothermal pilot plants were compared up to 115 days on stream. Agreement was acceptable with inlet butane concentrations up to 2.7 mol %. For example, runaway was predicted at a salt temperature 3 K higher than observed. Effectiveness factors around the hot spot were estimated at 0.6 with the catalyst surface temperature 2–3 K higher than the average gas temperature.