A semi-empirical method to quantify the impact of mass transfer on lab-scale SCR deNOx catalyst activity testing

Abstract

Industrial denitrification catalyst monoliths are regularly tested in controlled lab-scale conditions to quantify their activity. As mass transfer phenomena occurring inside the channels of the monoliths have an important impact on the global denitrification kinetics, activity measurements must be conducted in well-known conditions in terms of sample geometry and gaseous flow regimes, among others. The lack of accurate mass transfer correlations for the complex flows at stake however prevents any accurate generalisation of the test results. In this paper, we propose a semi-empirical method for the quantification of contribution of mass transfer to the global denitrification kinetics for any given test bench. It is based on the experimental adjustment of mass transfer correlations presenting a suitable form. Mass transfer can therefore be decoupled from the intrinsic kinetics and large ranges of conditions can be covered by conducting a limited number of measurements.