6-parallel Multi Reactor Catalyst Testing Unit
The greatest challenge in this project was to design a unit that fulfils all budget, space and safety requirements while providing a large flexibility in operating conditions (T, P, F,X) as well as the capability to handle a large variety of feedstocks and products.
Reactors can be individually operated as well as sets of two (3×2). Therefore ILS chose to design the unit in a modular fashion to reduce engineering and cabling work as well as minimizing footprint while providing good user access
High-temperature, high pressure diaphragm pumps in combination with high-temperature coriolis flow meters have been selected to dose different feedstocks independently of their properties. Optimized Reactors in multi-zone split shell ovens give enough space for larger catalyst amounts while ensuring plug-flow conditions, avoiding wall effects and axial dispersion. The pressure control and gas/liquid separation and striping section was designed to handle huge variations in pressures and flows by using novel 2-phase membrane pressure controllers. An integrated online GC, as well as exit gas flow meters and automatic liquid product recovery and sampling has been used to provide a tight mass balance.