Modelling of catalyst pellet poisoning for benzene hydrogenation

Based on the kinetics of benzene hydrogenation, pore diffusion and catalyst deactivation, time-dependent effectiveness behaviour of a single Ni? SiO₂? Al₂O₃ catalyst pellet where the chemical reaction rate is determined by pore diffusion was simulated for different conditions of operation. Poisoning kinetics were measured in a series of differential reactor experiments at atmospheric total pressure at temperatures ranging from 403 to 473 K. A computed effectiveness factor has been compared with experimental values for a catalyst pellet of industrial size. A good degree of correlation between theoretical prediction and the experimental results was found.