Effects of Processing Factors on Microstructure and Diffusivity of Diethylbenzene Dehydrogenation Catalyst

In this study, different mechanisms of diffusion such as Knudsen and bulk were investigated for diethylbenzene diffusion into a catalyst and it was concluded that the pore sizes should be in the range that permit transitional diffusion (both Knudsen and bulk diffusion). The catalyst grain size can be controlled and varied by different parameters such as speed and time of mixing, type of alkali, temperature and pH. Particle size distribution experiments were conducted for different types of alkali and speed of mixing to characterize the catalyst. The effects of grain size formed during coprecipitation on pore size distribution of the catalyst pellet which affect the effective diffusivity were discussed. Pore size distribution of the model catalyst was obtained and the effective diffusivities were calculated by numerical integration of Johanson-Stewart equation.