Abstract

MOLINA-CARDENAS, Gabriel Alberto; ROSALES-CHINCHILLA, Andrés Emilio  and  PAPA-ANNIBALINI, José. Mathematical Model of a Methanol Synthesis Quench Reactor with Catalyst Deactivation. Ing. invest. y tecnol. [online]. 2014, vol.15, n.4, pp.505-515. ISSN 2594-0732.

In this paper a heterogeneous model based on differential equations to simulate a methanol synthesis quench reactor in pseudo-steady state conditions was developed. To achieve the objective, open information available in the literature for our particular case was used, with the appropriate adjustments. In order to take into account the activity decay of the catalyst, an activity factor was introduced as a function of the time on run and the operation temperature. An available expression for reaction rates with parameters adjusted to our particular case was used. The model is able to successfully predict the behaviour of the temperature profiles, the effluent flow and composition for the whole catalyst life, yielding a useful tool for analysis, process optimization and scheduled periodic operational changes needed to hold the reactor performance. The objectives were achieved also with a significant reduction in the computing time, without losing the influence of any significant phenomena.

Keywords : methanol synthesis; catalytic bed reactor; steady-state simulation; mathematical model; catalyst deactivation.

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