Response of a tubular heterogeneous catalytic reactor to a step increase in flow rate

Abstract

Abstract The vapor phase dehydration of ethanol to diethyl ether, as catalyzed by ion exchange resin, has been studied experimentally and theoretically for the transient state period following a step increase in flow rate. A mathematical model is developed to account quantitatively for the effects of adsorption and surface reaction on the product distribution in the effluent of a tubular reactor. The solution of the model is in good agreement with the experimentally observed behavior.