Comparison of structured trickle-bed and monolithic reactors in Pd-catalyzed hydrogenation of alpha-methylstyrene

The so-called structured trickle-bed reactors (STBRs) represented by the combination of a tubular reactor and a structure with straight flow channels packed with catalyst particles have been tested for carrying out multiphase reactions.The highly efficient reactor performance of these reactors is observed in hydrogenation of alpha-methylstyrene by virtue of intensive gas–liquid–solid mass transfer even at moderate gas and liquid velocities.Different variants of STBR have been proven and compared with each other as well as with the conventional reactors. The comparison shows that STBR, especially monoliths packed with particles, demonstrate the highest space-time yield, but at the expense of an elevated pressure drop.