Conversion of methanol to gasoline-range hydrocarbons in a novel zeolite ZSM-5-coated monolithic reactor

The continued depletion of crude oil reserves has led to substantial research in alternative fuel technologies. In this regard, the conversion of various organic compounds to gasoline range hydrocarbons on Mobil's synthetic zeolite, ZSM-5, has received considerable research and industrial interest. Pellets of ZSM-5 catalysts have been investigated in fixed and fluidized bed processes for methanol conversion to gasoline.; Novel reactor configurations featuring catalysts supported on monolithic or honeycomb structures are being increasingly used for a number of industrial applications. Their unique construction and ease of operation offer advantages over traditional reactor types.; In this research, an innovative zeolite-coated monolithic reactor is employed to convert methanol to gasoline-range hydrocarbons. Experimental results demonstrate that the overall conversion and hydrocarbon product distribution compare favorably with data reported for fixed and fluid bed reactors. Mathematical modeling establishes that the reaction rate is controlled by gas diffusion into and out of the molecule-sized intracrystalline pores of the zeolite structure. This finding is of considerable importance because it demonstrates the suitability of monolithic reactors for zeolite-based catalytic processes.