A hybrid inclined rotating fixed bed reactor model for the identification of process intensification potential

The superimposed rotation and inclination of a catalytic fixed bed reactor is a promising process intensification strategy for gas-limited multiphase reactions. The reactor inclination forces flow stratification and the rotation leads to a binary and intermittent catalyst wetting. This way, the accessibility of the gas-phase to the catalyst is enhanced and a twofold increase of the conversion for the α-methylstyrene hydrogenation was shown experimentally. In this contribution, a hybrid model approach is introduced to predict the space-time-yield for the hydrogenation of α-methylstyrene and to identify beneficial operating conditions to enhance the process performance.