Hydration of 2-methyl-2-butene in gas-liquid cocurrent upflow and downflow reactors

An olefin (2-methyl-2-butene) gas and distilled water were fed either upwardly or downwardly into a fixed-bed reactor packed with strong acidic ion-exchange resins. Global reaction rates of olefin hydration were measured by changing gas and liquid velocities. The observed rates were interpreted by using a model in which the direct mass transfer from gas to solid occurred as well as the indirect mass transfer through the liquid phase.