Catalytic reactor engineering ⇒ information-driven design of packed (operando), fluidized, multi-functional, and -phase reactors

Problem statement

At lab-scale, the ultimate goal of a catalytic reactor is to provide (1) reliable kinetic information, neglecting or controlling other phenomena (heat-mass transfer and hydrodynamics); (2) high-throughput data to amplify the results, accelerate model and catalyst discoveries; and (3) results with the minimum requirements of reactants and wastes generated. The pillars of these reactors are quality, quantity, and safety.

We design, build and test different laboratory-scale reactors. Our strategy involves creating and testing reactor prototypes while modeling these using our workflow. We have high-speed cameras, probes, and other measuring instruments to understand the reactor behavior. We focus on packed-, fluidized-bed, and multiphase reactors:

In packed bed reactors, we focus on forced dynamic and operando reactors. These are the quintessence of information-driven reactors where the dynamics can involve flow changes, temperature, pressure, partial pressure, presence of activity modifiers (poissons, H2O…). In operando reactors, we follow a spectro-kinetic-deactivation-hydrodynamic approach to resolve the individual steps involved. In fluidized bed reactors, we focus on downers and multifunctional reactors (circulating, multizone or two-zone, Berty reactors) We focus on trickle-bed, slurry, and bio-electrochemical reactors in multiphase bed reactors.

Al pilot-plant scale, we aim to reach the maximum productivity levels while solving the growing pains: the scale-up. Based on a robust kinetic model obtained in the intrinsic kinetic reactor (lab-scale) and using computational fluid dynamics, we design, build, and operate pilot plants. At this stage, we seek partnerships with investment or industrial enterprises to make these pilot plants.

Goals

  • Multifunctional fluidized bed reactors ⇒ multizone, circulating...
  • Packed bed membrane reactors
  • Forced dynamic reactors ⇒ pulsing, SSITKA...
  • Forced dynamic operando reactors ⇒ DRIFTS, TPSR...
  • Operando reactors
  • Spray fluidized bed reactors
  • Downer reactor I ⇒ micro downer
  • Downer reactor II ⇒ counter-current and scale-up
  • Batch Berty reactor ⇒ short contact time
  • Multiphase reactors ⇒ trickle bed and slurry
  • High throughput experimentation (HTE) reactors
  • Photo-thermal and bioreactors
  • Reactor visualization and prototyping lab
  • Spatio-temporal hydrodynamic characterization and validation

Related People

Related Publications

Transients Behaviour and Stability in Miniaturized Packed-Bed Reactors

by Marquez, Castaño, Makkee, Moulijn, Kreutzer
Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. Year: 2010

Abstract

The step response, including various startup procedures, in a three-phase microreactor of 2 mm internal diameter packed with nonporous particles of 100 μm is reported. We demonstrate that the bed behaves reproducibly through many cycles of operating conditions. Interestingly, we find that the different startup procedures have little effect on the steady state that is achieved. In other words, minimal hysteresis was observed, in sharp contrast to larger-scale reactors with larger particles where prewetting has a remarkable impact on the hydrodynamic behavior. The powder-packed beds have very high liquid saturation values, and prewetting is not needed. At least four liquid-residence times were needed to achieve stable pressure drop and dispersion values over the bed. This indicates that the hydrodynamic response into a stable operation may well be the limiting factor that determines the rate at which kinetic experiments can be performed in high-throughput equipment.

Keywords

CRE MKM