Design, Construction and Operations of a Gradientless Cstr Reactor System Used for Hydrogenation of Tetralin

Abstract

In the hydrogenation of coal liquids or liquids derived from coal, kinetic data is needed for commercial application, however, the kinetic data is masked by heat and mass transfer effects. To obtain kinetic data free of transport effects, a gradientless reactor can be used. There are several designs of gradientless reactors available such as the Robinson-Amoco, Carberry and the Berty. The reactor used for this study was the Berty design. This study mainly dealt with the design, construction and operation of a gradientless reactor system with the Berty design as the heart of the system. The system has proved to be sound and functional. The stirrer speed of 1500 RPM greatly reduced or eliminated the transfer effects so true kinetic data can be studied. The catalyst analysis was inconclusive. The preliminary results indicate that titanocene dichloride does increase the hydrogenation of tetralin, however, it does not increase the hydrogenation of tetralin in a tetralin/phenanthrene mixture.