Devdopment of the Monolith Froth Reactor for Catalytic Wet Oxidation of CELSS Mo_
The aqueous phase oxidation of acetic acid, used as a model compound for the treatment of CELSS (Controlled Ecological Life Support System) waste, was carried out in the monolith froth reactor which utilizes two-phase flow in the monolith channels. The catalytic oxidation of acetic acid was carried out over a Pt/AI.,O_ catalyst, prepared at The University of Tulsa, at temperatures and pressures below the critical point of water. The effect of ex'temally controllable parameters (temperature, liquid flow rate, distributor plate orifice size, pitch, and catalyst distance from the distributor plate) on the rate of acetic acid oxidation was investigated. Results indicate reaction rate increased with increasing temperature and exhibited a maximum with respect to liquid flow rate. The apparent activation energy calculated from reaction rate data ,,,,,as 99.7 kJ/mol. This value is similar to values reported for the oxidation of acetic acid in other systems and is comparable to intrinsic values calculated for oxidation reactions. The "kinetic data were modeled using simple power law kinetics.
Trickle-Bed Oxidation Reactors
Abstract For reactions necesitating a solid catalyst and which invoive both reisuvely volatile and nonvclarile reactants, three-phase reactirs are required. Equipment used to achieve intimate contacting of the three phases has been procominantly in the form of slurry reactors, analogous to the stirred-tank homogenous system, or fixed-bed reactors in which the two fluid phases flow through a stationary bed of catalyst particles. Trickle-bed reactors are a type ofthe second classification in which both gas and liquid flow downward through the catalyst bed. Such systems avoid the disadvantage of separating small catalyst particles from the fluid product streams associated with slurry reactors, and also avoid the limitation of flow rates uncountered with upflow or countercurrent flow through fixed beds.
Oxidation of acetic acid solutions in a trickle-bed reactor
Rates of oxidation of dilute, aqueous solutions of acetic acid were measured at 252° to 286°C and 67 atm in liquid full and trickle-bed reactors packed with ferric oxide catalyst particles. Predicted global rates and conversions indicated that localized vaporization and liquid channeling could affect trickle-bed performance.