STUDY ON CATALYTIC REACTION IN PRESENCE OF MICROWAVE-RADIATION

Catalytic oxidation of ethylene was studied in a homogeneous reactor, filled with microporous alumina particles (average diameter 3 mm) impregnated with platinum (1% in weight). The reactor was placed in an isothermal oven or in a cavity, allowing the reactor to be heated by absorption of microwave radiation. In microwave heating, a substantial difficulty is measurement of the catalytic surface temperature. A fine thermocouple inserted into a thin silica radial tube allows us to approach this temperature; then the temperature is estimated with good accuracy by mathematical modelling of the reactor. By an analysis of the experimental results, we affirm that the same conversion rate is obtained in microwave heating at a temperature 6-8-degrees-C lower than in classical heating. The rate constant is accelerated with microwave heating. This result is in good agreement with previous observations, but should be confirmed for other catalytic reactions with direct measurement of the solid temperature.