Evaluation of an in situ spatial resolution instrument for fixed beds through the assessment of the invasiveness of probes and a comparison with a micro-kinetic model

•CFD shows that sampling capillary in packed catalyst bed is non-invasive.•Fully simulated model shows a reasonable correlation with spatially resolved data.•Semi-empirical model using recorded temperatures provides improved accuracy.•Spatially resolved data with simulations highlights limiting component of model.

This paper reports the detailed description and validation of a fully automated, computer controlled analytical method to spatially probe the gas composition and thermal characteristics in packed bed systems. This method has been designed to limit the invasiveness of the probe, a characteristic assessed using CFD. The thermocouple is aligned with the sampling holes to enable simultaneous recording of the gas composition and temperature profiles. This analysis technique has been validated by studying CO oxidation over a 1% Pt/Al2O3 catalyst. The resultant profiles have been compared with a micro-kinetic model, to further assess the strength of the technique.

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