Abstract
Experiments were performed in which the benefits of flow through the large interconnecting cavities in structured metal foams (acting as catalyst supports) could be better understood. For example, using tablet shaped (8. mm. ×. 8. mm. ×. 3. mm) metal foam pellets (1200. μm cavity size), at a pressure drop of 0.5. bar across a 2. m long packed bed (i.d. = 71.7. mm, flow = 0.039. kg/s), the forced convective bulk flow through the foam pellets was found to represent 38% of the total flow, thereby demonstrating the ease with which reactants could access the internal cavities of the metal foam pellet and hence the catalyst layer.In another example it is shown how a metal foam structure could be exploited in a high temperature fixed bed application (e.g. for endothermic reactions). Experiments were performed in a 74. mm i.d. column, which contained different forms of catalyst supports, such that the depth of the fixed bed was 600. mm. To represent a gaseous mixture in a process application, compressed air (e.g. 0.008. kg/s) was electrically pre-heated (e.g. up to 500. °C), and then fed into the fixed-bed which was surrounded by an electrical furnace (e.g. tube surface 650-950. °C). From these experiments it was shown that, depending on the application, the metal foam structure could: (a) completely fill the channel as a continuous structure; (b) be used in the form of catalyst foam pellets; and (c) be installed with gaps between segments to exploit heat transfer by radiation (from the walls of the channel).
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 221-233 |
| Journal | Catalysis Today |
| Volume | 273 |
| Early online date | 23 Apr 2016 |
| DOIs | |
| Status | Published - Sep 2016 |
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Keywords
- Catalysis
- Catalyst supports
- Metal foams
- Reactors
- SMR
Cite this
Potential for metal foams to act as structured catalyst supports in fixed-bed reactors. / Kolaczkowski, Stan; Awdry, Serpil; Smith, Tony; Thomas, Dave; Torkuhl, Lars; Kolvenbach, Robin.
In: Catalysis Today, Vol. 273, 09.2016, p. 221-233.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Potential for metal foams to act as structured catalyst supports in fixed-bed reactors
AU - Kolaczkowski,Stan
AU - Awdry,Serpil
AU - Smith,Tony
AU - Thomas,Dave
AU - Torkuhl,Lars
AU - Kolvenbach,Robin
PY - 2016/9
Y1 - 2016/9
N2 - Experiments were performed in which the benefits of flow through the large interconnecting cavities in structured metal foams (acting as catalyst supports) could be better understood. For example, using tablet shaped (8. mm. ×. 8. mm. ×. 3. mm) metal foam pellets (1200. μm cavity size), at a pressure drop of 0.5. bar across a 2. m long packed bed (i.d. = 71.7. mm, flow = 0.039. kg/s), the forced convective bulk flow through the foam pellets was found to represent 38% of the total flow, thereby demonstrating the ease with which reactants could access the internal cavities of the metal foam pellet and hence the catalyst layer.In another example it is shown how a metal foam structure could be exploited in a high temperature fixed bed application (e.g. for endothermic reactions). Experiments were performed in a 74. mm i.d. column, which contained different forms of catalyst supports, such that the depth of the fixed bed was 600. mm. To represent a gaseous mixture in a process application, compressed air (e.g. 0.008. kg/s) was electrically pre-heated (e.g. up to 500. °C), and then fed into the fixed-bed which was surrounded by an electrical furnace (e.g. tube surface 650-950. °C). From these experiments it was shown that, depending on the application, the metal foam structure could: (a) completely fill the channel as a continuous structure; (b) be used in the form of catalyst foam pellets; and (c) be installed with gaps between segments to exploit heat transfer by radiation (from the walls of the channel).
AB - Experiments were performed in which the benefits of flow through the large interconnecting cavities in structured metal foams (acting as catalyst supports) could be better understood. For example, using tablet shaped (8. mm. ×. 8. mm. ×. 3. mm) metal foam pellets (1200. μm cavity size), at a pressure drop of 0.5. bar across a 2. m long packed bed (i.d. = 71.7. mm, flow = 0.039. kg/s), the forced convective bulk flow through the foam pellets was found to represent 38% of the total flow, thereby demonstrating the ease with which reactants could access the internal cavities of the metal foam pellet and hence the catalyst layer.In another example it is shown how a metal foam structure could be exploited in a high temperature fixed bed application (e.g. for endothermic reactions). Experiments were performed in a 74. mm i.d. column, which contained different forms of catalyst supports, such that the depth of the fixed bed was 600. mm. To represent a gaseous mixture in a process application, compressed air (e.g. 0.008. kg/s) was electrically pre-heated (e.g. up to 500. °C), and then fed into the fixed-bed which was surrounded by an electrical furnace (e.g. tube surface 650-950. °C). From these experiments it was shown that, depending on the application, the metal foam structure could: (a) completely fill the channel as a continuous structure; (b) be used in the form of catalyst foam pellets; and (c) be installed with gaps between segments to exploit heat transfer by radiation (from the walls of the channel).
KW - Catalysis
KW - Catalyst supports
KW - Metal foams
KW - Reactors
KW - SMR
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84964300684&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cattod.2016.03.047
U2 - 10.1016/j.cattod.2016.03.047
DO - 10.1016/j.cattod.2016.03.047
M3 - Article
VL - 273
SP - 221
EP - 233
JO - Catalysis Today
T2 - Catalysis Today
JF - Catalysis Today
SN - 0920-5861
ER -