Thermo-kinetic and diffusion studies of glycerol dehydration to acrolein using HSiW-γ-Al2O3 supported ZrO2 solid acid catalyst

The thermo-kinetic study of gas-phase glycerol dehydration reaction using a supported gamma-Al2O3 nano particle based solid catalyst (SiW20-Al/Zr-10) has been investigated. The kinetic model was established based on the reaction mechanism, taking into account two parallel reactions of glycerol degradation into acrolein or acetol. Reaction rate constants and activation energies for all the products in the glycerol dehydration reaction were determined at various reaction temperatures (280-340 degrees C). The first-order kinetic model and the experimental data fitted-well. Also, based on thermodynamic analysis the values of Delta H-double dagger, Delta S-double dagger, and Delta G(double dagger) for all the endothermic reactions were determined by Eyring equation. Finally, the absence of internal and external diffusions were confirmed by Weisz-Prate Criterion (C-wp <1) and Mear's Criterion (C-M < 0.15), respectively for pellet diameters less than d(p) < 5 mu m. The results from this study are useful for future reactor modeling and simulation work. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.