Periodic temperature cycling is employed to forcedly change a reactor temperature. Such 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 rapid change in the operation 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 operation temperature conditions for the periodic temperature cycling were investigated by analysis of the reaction kinetics and catalytic activity. The rate-controlling step was clarified using the results of reaction analysis. The time-average IPA conversion under periodic temperature cycling was higher than that under steady operation. These results suggest that the optimal operation temperature conditions for periodic temperature cycling are dependent on the IPA coverage when surface reaction is the rate-controlling step.
