OP-II-3

PP-II-39POLYMERIZATION REACTOR FOR THE EVALUATIONOF CATALYSTS TYPE HONEYCOMBRebollar B.M., Silva E.Y.Instituto de Investigaciones y Desarrollo Industrial SC, Oriente 101 3605,Col Río Blanco, 07850 DF MEXICO, mrebollar@inidi.orgThere are great variety of laboratory reactors for catalysts evaluation [1,2], but inthe case of polymerization, the complications are avoided and almost all reactionsare realized are on homogeneous form. The selection of the form of the catalyst tousing in a reaction is an important stage in the design of the reactor and in thelaboratory must be the first step, normally spheres or pellets are used, but in case ofpolymerization to use this type of catalysts not always is a good idea, because duringsome polymerization reactions the viscosity varies in to large range and the level ofliquid is not constant. If mixing is not well affected at all reactor, and at every point inthe catalyst the reaction presents a low yield, due to hot spots, dead zones and a lowor even any molecular diffusion, for it the polymers industry continues using thehomogeneous reactions, assuring this way the close contact between the catalystand the reactants. To use honeycomb monolith as catalysts in the polymerizationallows a laminate flow, achieving this way a close contact with the catalyst.The designed reactor allows the evaluation of honeycomb monoliths, is of glasswith a capacity of 300 ml, the catalyst is of 1.8 x 1.8 x 0.4 cm, of square channels of1.2 mm. It can be used of constant form or for lots.The reactor was tested in the reaction of amination of the polydimethylsilxane,reaction of 24 hours for concluding [3], the catalyst was alúmina, impregnated bywashcoat with platinum, to evaluate the conversion of the reaction it was usedinfrared spectroscopy, the system was compared with the same reaction in the sametime in a homogeneous phase.The reactor was evaluated in the following concepts; Sampling and analysis ofproduct composition, isothermality, residence-contact time measurement, selectivitytime averaging disguise, molecular diffusion of the reactants in the catalystdetermining the effectiveness factor, construction difficulty and cost.The molecular diffusion was evaluated by means of the system proposed byHayes [4] and the obtained results show that the kinetic of the reaction is not limitedby its molecular diffusion, as it is confirmed by the resultant conversions that are404