| Abstract: | Multiphase fixed‐bed reactors have complex hydrodynamic and mass transfer characteristics. The modeling and scale‐up are therefore difficult. The present work focuses on the role of mass transfer on the effective reaction rate. The catalytic 1‐octene hydrogenation was taken as a model reaction. The reaction rate in the trickle‐bed reactor is by a factor of 20 smaller than (theoretically) in the absence of any mass transfer limitations. For high octene concentrations (> 10 %), the effective reaction rate is limited by the H2 consumption, above all by the gas/liquid and liquid/solid mass transfer. For lower octene concentrations the reaction is zero order with respect to H2 and only depends on the octene consumption, i.e., on the interplay of chemical reaction, L/S and intraparticle mass transfer of octene. |
