Mathematical Modeling of the Dehydrating Ethanol to Ethylene Process in a Multitubular Reactor on a Ring-Shaped Alumina Catalyst

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The process of dehydrating ethanol to ethylene by varying geometrical dimensions of a ring-shaped alumina catalyst is studied using a mathematical 2D model of a multitubular reactor. The set of ring sizes determines equivalent grain size R_eq, on which catalyst’s effectiveness factor η depends in turn. A procedure is proposed for assigning grains with different geometric dimensions to four structural groups, depending on the technique used to synthesize samples with the same equivalent size R_eq. Based on this approach, a system of criteria is developed for selecting catalyst grains with the best characteristics for given conditions. The geometric sizes of grains and other parameters that ensure the highest ethylene yield at the lowest values of the pressure drop and the residence time are determined.