Process Intensification of Quasi-Homogeneous Catalytic Hydrogenation in a Rotating Packed Bed Reactor

Abstract

Quasi-homogeneous catalytic hydrogenation benefits from the absence of intraparticle diffusion in the catalyst with the gas–liquid–solid system. However, it still suffers from the gas–liquid mass-transfer resistance, which limits the hydrogenation reaction rate. In this work, a rotating packed bed (RPB) reactor was first applied for the intensification of quasi-homogeneous catalytic hydrogenation, employing hydrogenation of 2-ethylanthraquinone (EAQ) as the test system. Effects of operating conditions, including rotational speed of the RPB reactor, initial concentration of EAQ, hydrogen pressure, reaction temperature, and volume ratio of the solvent on H2O2 yield and selectivity were investigated. The space time yield in the RPB reactor reached 369.8 gH2O2 ·gPd –1·h–1, which was much higher than that of 14.5 gH2O2 ·gPd –1·h–1 in the slurry stirred tank reactor under the same conditions. Applying RPB technology for the quasi-homogeneous catalytic reaction can be regarded as a new strategy for hydrogenation process intensification.

Fabrication and catalytic application of a tandem reactor module using Au nanoparticle-coated glass beads as packing materials

“…26,27 The high removal capacity of the tandem reactor module can be attributed to the unique design of the tandem structure and superior catalytic activity of the packing materials. 51 Besides, compared with the reported membrane reactors, the tandem reactor module has a distinct decrease in the dosage of Au and a considerable rise in the rate constant. The maximal rate constant of 1.5 × 10 −2 s −1 is even comparable with those displayed in the reduction of 4-NP using Au NPs as catalysts, further indicating the excellent catalytic capacity of the tandem reactor module.…”

HiGee Microbubble Generator: (I) Mathematical Modeling and Experimental Verification of the Energy Dissipation Rate

“…RPBs have been widely used for nanomaterial preparation, 28 absorption, 29 distillation, 30 and catalytic hydrogenation. 31 Compared to static devices, the RPB has an extra degree of freedom of rotation, which shows that the RPB may achieve the large and controllable energy dissipation rate. The packing inside the rotor of the RPB can break the liquid phase into tiny liquid droplets, films, or ligaments in the continuous phase of gas 32 surface energy of the small liquid elements during the breakage process.…”

Mechanism of Liquid Dispersion Enhancement by the Hydrophobic Wire Mesh at Macro- and Micro-Scale

“…Liquid dispersion plays an important role in the mass transfer and micromixing performance in chemical reactors. − The rotating packed bed (RPB) that has been applied in separation − and reaction process intensification − is a good example. The wire mesh packing has been widely used in the RPB for mass transfer intensification.…”