SELECTIVE OXIDATION OF NORMAL-BUTANE TO MALEIC-ANHYDRIDE .2. IDENTIFICATION OF RATE EXPRESSION FOR THE REACTION

The modeling of the selective oxidation of n-butane to MA has been done in a systematic manner. Both Langmuir-Hinshelwood and redox models have been proposed and tested with differential rate data. Four redox models have been fitted to the experimental data. Discrimination among these models has been achieved with the use of a sequential experimental design. The redox model having first-order dependency on n-butane partial pressure and zero-order dependency on oxygen partial pressure was found to be the most appropriate.