Temperature response to reactant concentration perturbations in a packed-bed reactor

Unsteady-state operations are known to enhance the performance of some packed-bed reactor systems. However, negative effects of this type of operation should not be neglected. Temperature excursions developed during transients may accelerate some deactivation mechanisms, reducing catalyst lifetime and selectivity. Temperature response to perturbations in reactant concentration was studied for CO oxidation over Pt/Al2O3, in a packed-bed reactor. Experiments were conducted in the CO concentration range for which multiple steady states are observed. Temperature and concentration profiles in the packed-bed reactor at steady state were found to depend on the dynamic history of the reactor prior to the steady-state condition.