Hydrogen transfer in slurries of carbon supported catalyst (HPO process)

Abstract

Abstract The effect of suspended activated carbon on gas/liquid mass transfer is studied for the Pd/C‐catalyzed hydrogenation of nitrate to hydroxylamine (HPO process). In a bubble column and in a stirred autoclave, physical mass transfer ( k L a ) in the concentrated salt solution is improved by more than a factor of three by the catalyst. Chemical absorption enhancement by the zero‐order catalytic reaction is insignificant at the employed catalyst diameter (40 μm), but hydroxylamine selectivity depends on the absorption regime.