Catalytic hydrodeoxygenation of 4-propylguaiacol, a model compound for lignin-derived components of pyrolysis oil, was performed in a packed-bed microreactor. The effects of various processing conditions were investigated using presulfided NiMo/Al 2 O 3 catalyst. The conversion of 4-propylguaiacol is highly influenced by temperature. Although many products were formed, 4-propylphenol predominated under the operating conditions selected with presulfided NiMo catalyst. External and internal mass-transfer resistances and heat-transfer resistance were investigated and found to be negligible. Reaction rate expressions were based on proposed reaction mechanisms using the Langmuir−Hinshelwood approach. Nonlinear regression was performed to obtain kinetic constants. The best-fitting rate equations were further validated by comparing experimental data obtained from an integral reactor with predictions obtained using the Runge−Kutta method based on the rate equations. A difference of less than 10% between the experimental data and the predicted data for the integral reactor was found.
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