Advantage of the single pellet string reactor for testing real-size industrial pellets of potassium-doped CoMnAl catalyst for the decomposition of N2O

Abstract

Two tubular laboratory reactors, the single pellet string reactor (i.d. = 0.55 cm) and the fixed bed reactor (i.d. = 5 cm) were compared on the basis of laboratory experiments of N2O catalytic decomposition and measurements of residence time distribution curves. K/Co4MnAlOx mixed oxide in the form of cylinders (5.1 mm × 5.1 mm) was used as a catalyst. The influence of external diffusion, deviation from plug flow and influence of axial dispersion on N2O conversion obtained in both reactors were discussed. The influence of macroscopic phenomena on the rate of catalytic reaction was significantly lower in the single pellet string reactor, which predetermined it as a suitable laboratory reactor for testing of real-size industrial catalysts. Experimentally obtained results were confirmed by mathematical modeling.