Design, Use and Results from Combinatorial Steady-State Reactors for the Optimization of Highly Selective Heterogeneous Catalysts in Liquid Systems

摘要

A reactor was designed, built and successfully operated that allowed the simultaneous running of 96 independent reactions at steady-state. Since the problem involved the attainment of 98% in selectivity from a starting point of 93%, very precise reproducibility in selectivity was required. Because selectivity varies with time in a batch reactor, and since commercial reactors for this process are continuous, continuous reactors operated at steady-state were required. Long-term standard deviation in selectivity of <0.2% was attained. Information feedback from so many reactors allowed study of variation in catalyst composition, liquid retention times, space velocity, temperature andother variables to be accomplished in relatively short time. Comparison between heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis in the same reactors gave insight into the underlying mechanisms determining activity and selectivity. Results from 200 uL reactors scaled very well to laboratory and pilot plant sizes.