The segmented two-phase flow monolithic catalyst reactor. An alternative for liquid-phase hydrogenations

Liquid-phase hydrogenation of nitrobenzoic acid was performed in a monolithic palladium catalyst. The total effectiveness factor of the catalyst was enhanced due to the fact that the mass transfer in the channels of the monolith was increased by the segmented gas-liquid flow. The effectiveness factor was shown to be much higher than for a trickle bed under corresponding reaction conditions. A mathematical model for the mass transfer in the segmented gas-liquid flow derived and found to describe the phenomena well.