Kinetic and deactivation modelling of biphenyl liquid-phase hydrogenation over bimetallic Pt–Pd catalyst

The hydrogenation of biphenyl was modelled kinetically on a Pt–Pd supported catalyst, comprising the influence of the sulphur poisoning. Aromatic deep hydrogenation is one of the challenges for meeting the environmental requirements of fuels. Noble bimetallic catalysts are promising systems for such purpose due to their (i) improved activity compared to standard hydrotreating catalysts and their (ii) enhanced resistance toward sulphur poisoning in contrast to their monometallic counterparts. The experiments used for the modelling have been obtained in the intrinsic kinetic regime, excluding internal and external mass transfer limitations. A robust model for both kinetic and deactivation performance is derived, taking as initial estimations the values derived from the pseudo-first-order kinetics. This model clarifies the mechanisms of adsorption, reaction, and deactivation during polycyclic-aromatic-hydrocarbon (PAH) hydrogenation on intrinsic kinetic conditions.