| The liquid-phase catalytic dehydration of 2-propanol was investigated in a batch slurry reactor. Alumina, zeolite 13X, SAPO-5 and silicalite are all active in the liquid phase dehydration of 2-propanol at 463 K with silicalite being the most active catalyst. Propylene was found to be the major reaction product, with diisopropyl ether and acetone formed in trace amounts. The reaction kinetics over silicalite was determined at a temperature range of 434--463 K and at a concentration range of 4--10 mol % 2-propanol in water. A single site Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson type mechanism was found to describe the kinetic data well. The rate equation was determined to be r=kKACA/&parl0; 1+KACA+KWCW&parr0; . The activation energy over silicalite was determined to be 226.8 kJ/mol while the heat of adsorption model parameters for 2-propanol and water were -45.5 and -9.6 kJ/mol, respectively.; A simplified first order rate model was also found to describe the kinetic data well at low 2-propanol concentrations. An activation energy of 195.8 kJ/mol was determined over silicalite. For the purpose of designing an appropriate separation process for wastewater purification it is recommended that the simple first order model be used, due to its simplicity and accuracy at low 2-propanol concentrations. |
