Effects of pore diffusion in the catalytic oxidation of ethylene

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Abstract
Effects of pore diffusion in the catalytic oxidation of ethylene on copper oxide‐alumina have been studied by varying the catalyst size and maintaining constant the ratio of the tube to the pellet diameter. Hydrocarbon analysis was determined with a flame ionization detector; infrared analyzers were used to determine carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide concentrations. Other reaction products were analyzed with a gas chromatograph. Curvature of the Arrhenius plots and increase in reaction order with temperature indicated a transition region between kinetic control at lower temperatures and pore diffusion control at higher temperatures. A calculation procedure which was developed to predict the conversion considering pore diffusion effects provided satisfactorily agreement between calculated and experimental results.