Research on Modeling of Catalytic Multi Bore Hollow Fiber Membrane Plug Flow Reactor

A model of Micro Multi Bore Hollow Fiber catalytic membrane reactor for the esterification process
was developed. The catalytic membrane having a functional group is used to prepare 2-ethyl
hexanoate. The implanted catalyst onto the membrane plays a significant role in removing the
generated water. Also, it breaks the thermodynamic equilibrium barrier and increases reaction
conversion. The multi bores membrane reactor behaves as a plug flow reactor, the concentration
changes along the length, it is described by ordinary differential equations with and without respect of
the axial dispersion. The membrane configuration with the perfect microcapillary channels gives
regular flow pattern with minimum resistance. Experimental results of an earlier project, are used to
verify and validate the model. The developed model was solved numerically. It revealed that the
considering of the axial dispersion model is a reliable assumption matching with the predicted and
calculated reaction conversion.