Modelling and simulation of a mixed-flow reactor for ammonia and methanol synthesis

✍ Scribed by Chue-San Yoo; Anthony G. Dixon

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1988
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 680 KB
• Volume: 43
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0009-2509
• DOI: 10.1016/0009-2509(88)80028-9

✦ Synopsis

The use of mixed axial and radial flows in a fixed-bed adiabatic reactor can lead to regions of flow "back-up" in the bed. These regions cause temperature hot-spots to appear, even under conditions where there are none for a purely radial flow. The hot-spots can be reduced by balancing axial and radial flows, with adverse effects on conversion. For methanol synthesis, selectivity increases with reduced conversion, but the yield of the desired product is lowered. in addition, the need to increase the axial flow defeats the original purpose of the radial-flow reactor.