Transport processes and conversion in an isothermal fixed-bed catalytic reactor

Abstract

Transient mass transfer and reaction in an isothermal fixed-bed catalytic reactor is studied mathematically. An analytical solution is derived in the form of an infinite integral depending on eight dimensionless parameters. The solution includes the effects of axial dispersion, fluid-to-particle diffusion, intraparticle diffusion, and reversible first-order adsorption for a first-order reaction on the catalyst surface. The conversion at steady-state is briefly discussed. Two special cases of the general solution are given: the case of no axial dispersion and the case of negligible adsorption resistance. A method for integrating the infinite integral is given in an earlier paper.