Catalytic conversion of 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene in a CREC riser simulator. A heterogeneous model with adsorption and reaction phenomena

The aim of the present work is the development of a heterogeneous kinetic model for the isomerization and disproportionation of 1,2,4-TMB. With this end, experiments are conducted in a novel CREC riser simulator loaded with an FCC catalyst. FCC catalysts were prepared using HY zeolites having different crystallite sizes, namely,0.4 and 0.9 mum. The observed distributions of products are reviewed considering potential shape-selectivity effects and hindered diffusion of products. The adopted modeling strategy allows for the calculation, with little ambiguity, of adsorption constants; heats of adsorption; and kinetic constants, such as energies of activation and preexponential factors.