CONVERSION OF METHANOL TO GASOLINE-RANGE HYDROCARBONS IN A ZSM-5 COATED MONOLITHIC REACTOR

Novel reactor configurations featuring catalysts supported on monolithic or honeycomb structures are being increasingly used for a number of applications. In this work, a zeolite-coated monolithic reader is employed for the conversion of methanol to gasoline-range hydrocarbons. Experimental results show that the conversion and hydrocarbon product distribution compare favorably with data reported for fixed and fluid beds. Mathematical modeling shows that the conversion here is controlled by diffusion in the molecule-sized intracrystalline pores of the zeolite structure. This finding is of considerable importance because it demonstrates that monolithic reactors are well-suited to zeolite-based catalytic processes.