Automation of a fixed-bedcontinuous–flow reactor

[摘要] This paper describes the design and operation of a laboratory plantwith a fixed-bed continuous-flow reactor, fully automated andcontrolled from a personal computer. The automated variablesinclude two gas flows, one liquid flow, six temperatures, twopressures, one circulation of a cooling liquid, and 10 electrovalves.An adaptive-predictive control system was used. The chemicalprocess chosen to run the automated reactor was the conversion ofmethanol to gasoline over a ZSM-5 catalyst. This is a highlyexothermal process, so a cascade control system had to be used tocontrol the reactor internal temperature. Pressure and weight hourlyspace velocity (WHSV) were fixed at 1 arm and 1.5h-1respectively. Accurate control (±0.2°C) of the reactor’s internaltemperature was achieved and repeatability for the conversion ofmethanol to gasoline was good.

[学科分类] 分析化学