Monolithic Catalysts for the Chemical Industry

Abstract

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.

Hierarchy concepts: classification and preparation strategies for zeolite containing materials with hierarchical porosity

“…125,126 Though honeycombs have much lower pressure drop as compared to packed bed systems, they lack other important features, e.g. radial mass flow, radial heat exchange and tortuosity, which are present in packed bed configurations to a fair extent.…”

Monoliths: A Review of the Basics, Preparation Methods and Their Relevance to Oxidation

“…The physical dimensions of a monolith are usually expressed by cell density. The cell density (cpsi = cells per square inch) is determined by the width of the channels, as shown by Equation (1) [5,20]. Cell density can play a role in catalytic applications of monolith structures.…”

“…The open frontal area, essentially the void fraction [19], can be calculated using Equation (4). Monolithic catalysts have a large open frontal area compared to catalyst pellets, therefore, there is little resistance to flow through the channels [5,20]. This allows for high space velocities to be reached.…”

Resolving a Challenge in the Modeling of Hydrogen Production Using Steam Reforming of Methane in Monolith Reactors Using CFD Methods

“…Therefore due to attaining this goal small-scale SMR technologies should be modeled and optimized [3][4][5][6][7]. Monolith catalysts can be widely used in many applications particularly for their high geometric surface area, low pressure drop and good mechanical strength and durability [8]. In addition using monolithic reactors have significant advantages such as reduced capital cost, smaller footprints and potentially easier transportation [1,[9][10][11].…”