Abstract
The catalyst fouling process in the consecutive hydrogenation of chlorobenzene on a peripherally supported rhodium-alumina catalyst was studied. The activity factor, defined as the relative reaction rate, was correlated with process time by a combined curve of an exponential and a linear form. It was also found experimentally that the activity factor was correlated with the total coke amount, which was obtained from continuous measurement of the catalyst weight under reacting conditions, rather than from the involatile coke amount.
A mathematical analysis considering the rate equations for coke formation gave an equation of the activity factor identical to the empirical one.
