Flow control in a three-phase monolithic catalyst reactor

A method for maintaining the ratio of gas volume to reactant liquid volume in a gas/liquid segmented flow in order to maintain the segmented flow near or at the Taylor flow regime along a reactor containing a plurality of monolithic catalyst beds, the beds having axially aligned channels and in which at least two beds define an intrabed space, the method comprising:

• initiating a segmented gas/liquid flow at the start of a first monolithic catalyst bed by introducing a reactant liquid and gas into the axially aligned channels;
• propagating the segmented flow by introducing more of each of the reactant liquid and the gas at the start of a first monolithic catalyst bed as the segmented gas/liquid flow passes through the catalyst beds;
• injecting an additional amount of gas into the reactor into the intrabed space;
• and
• collecting the gas and product containing liquid at the bottom of the last of the catalyst beds.

A method for maintaining a ratio of gas volume to liquid volume in a segmented gas/liquid flow along a reactor containing at least a first monolithic catalyst bed and a second monolithic catalyst bed, the monolithic catalyst beds being in series and being separated by an intra-bed space, the method comprising:

• initiating segmented gas/liquid flow within the first monolithic catalyst bed by introducing feed liquid and feed gas both at a predetermined volume and a predetermined flow rate;
• propagating the segmented flow through the first monolithic catalyst bed;
• injecting an additional amount of gas into the reactor into the intrabed space between the first monolithic catalyst bed and the second monolithic catalyst bed;
• initiating segmented gas/liquid flow within the second monolithic catalyst bed by introducing feed liquid and feed gas both at a predetermined volume and a predetermined flow rate;
• propagating the segmented flow through the second monolithic catalyst bed;
• and
• collecting the segmented gas/liquid flow from the reactor.

A method for maintaining a ratio of gas volume to liquid volume in a segmented gas/liquid flow along a reactor containing at least a first monolithic catalyst bed and a second monolithic catalyst bed, the monolithic catalyst beds being in series and being separated by an intra-bed space, the method comprising:

• initiating segmented gas/liquid flow within the first monolithic catalyst bed by introducing feed liquid and feed gas both at a predetermined volume and a predetermined flow rate;
• propagating the segmented flow through the first monolithic catalyst bed;
• injecting an additional amount of gas into the reactor into the intrabed space using an injecting connector that is sealably connected to the first monolithic catalyst bed and the second monolithic catalyst bed;
• initiating segmented gas/liquid flow within the second monolithic catalyst bed by introducing feed liquid and feed gas both at a predetermined volume and a predetermined flow rate;
• propagating the segmented flow through the second monolithic catalyst bed;
• and
• collecting the segmented gas/liquid flow from the reactor.

A reactor using a monolithic catalyst, the reactor comprising:

• at least two monolithic catalyst beds arranged in series, wherein each catalyst bed has an inlet end and a outlet end and channels substantially parallel to the direction of flow from the inlet end to the outlet end;
• a controllable gas injector in fluid communication with the inlet end of the first catalyst bed;
• a controllable liquid injector in fluid communication with the inlet end of the first catalyst bed;
• a connector for controllably injecting hydrogen, wherein the connector is sealably secured between the outlet end of the first catalyst bed and the inlet end of a subsequent bed;
• and
• a collecting and separating apparatus for the gas and the reactant liquid at the bottom of the last of the catalyst beds.