Honeycomb-shaped monolithic catalysts are the standard catalyst shape in most environmental applications. In the processes of the chemical industry, however, their current use is very limited. In this paper, the current status of the monolith technology for applications in the chemical industry is reviewed. Application areas in which monolithic catalysts have superior performance characteristics are discussed. Especially pre- and postreactors as well as replacement concepts for slurry reactors are expected to have a very good near-term potential for application in commercial operations. In addition, it is expected that several adiabatic fixed-bed processes, especially those constrained by pressure drop or mass transfer, can benefit from the use of monolithic catalysts because of their excellent pressure drop to mass transfer ratio. A new and promising area for monoliths with a high thermal conductivity is their use in various gas-phase processes where multitubular reactors are employed.

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The gas-liquid distribution in a monolith film flow reactor is in®estigated in

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The use of monolithic catalysts in multiphase applications has received increasing interest throughout the last years. In this paper the use of monolithic catalysts in the hydrogenation of edible oils is studied. In comparative experiments the monolithic catalysts have shown a lower tendency to form trans-fatty acids compared to slurry catalysts with equal composition. It is also demonstrated that the monolithic catalyst could be reused several times without significant changes in the product composition. With respect to the effect of the operating parameters on the performance, common knowledge applies. By using a monolithic-catalyst-based technology, the process complexity can be significantly reduced as the separation of the oil and the catalyst becomes straightforward and the filtration and bleach steps are eliminated. An economic evaluation showed a significant reduction in the product cost when monoliths are used instead of a conventional slurry system.