A computer model of the fixed bed catalytic reactor: The adiabatic and quasi‐adiabatic cases

Abstract

Abstract A digital computer model of the adiabatic‐fixed bed catalytic reactor is developed which includes axial dispersion of heat and mass, interparticle heat and mass transport, and intraparticle diffusion of reacting species. The influence of these transport processes upon conversion and yield is discussed. The model is readily extended to nonisothermal, nonadiabatic cases in the absence of radial gradients. The technique of computer solution avoids the inherent instability problem associated with explicit techniques as applied to flux boundary condition problems which involve flow, diffusion, and reaction.