Mathematical modeling of CO oxidation on Pd(100) at near-atmospheric pressures: Effect of mass-transfer limitations

A 3D convection-diffusion-reaction model was developed to describe CO oxidation in a continuous-flow catalytic reactor containing a Pd(100) single crystal surface. The model was studied with the help of the pseudo-arclength continuation algorithm, which is based on a matrix-free Newton-Krylov method and enables a one-parameter continuation of stationary solutions of large systems. The model was used to simulate the 3D spatial distributions of CO and CO2 during light-off experiments and the oscillations in CO oxidation over Pd(100) detected by the planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) method. With realistic values of parameters the developed model can reproduce almost quantitatively the experimental reaction rates and the PLIF images measured under steadystate conditions and during self-sustained oscillations under near-atmospheric pressure conditions. The formation of a boundary layer and the essential decrease of CO concentration near the Pd(100) single crystal surface were demonstrated after the catalytic ignition and in a high activity branch of the oscillatory cycle indicating the mass-transfer limited regime.