Abstract
Periodic temperature cycling is employed to forcibly change the reactor temperature. Such an operation is expected to be a process intensification (PI) method because the reaction rate of a heterogeneous catalytic reaction is enhanced under periodic temperature cycling. A microreactor was employed to investigate the rapid change in the operating temperature. Dehydrogenation of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) under periodic temperature cycling was performed as a test reaction using an anodized aluminum-supported platinum catalyst. The optimal operating temperature conditions for periodic temperature cycling were investigated by analysis of the reaction kinetics and catalytic activity. The rate-controlling step was clarified using the results of the reaction analysis. The time-average IPA conversion under periodic temperature cycling was higher than that under steady-state conditions. These results suggested that the optimal operating temperature conditions for periodic temperature cycling are dependent on the IPA coverage when the surface reaction is the rate-controlling step.
