Dynamic analysis of thermal behaviour of a laboratory reactor using a process simulator

A process stimulator was used to study dynamic results from a laboratory-scale tubular reactor for the oxidation of carbon monoxide (CO) with oxygen over Pt/Alumina catalyst. Passive response experiments were used to obtain lumped values of the heat capacity and the overall heat transfer coefficient. Temperature profile experiments were used to obtain the only adjustable kinetic parameter: k(o), the pre-exponential portion of the rate constant. Integral reactor phenomena were studied: step-decreases in the feed temperature , step-changes in feed concentration, and ignition of the reactor by pressure. Simulated results provided good agreement with experiments.