Exploiting Adsorption/Diffusion Synergy in MFI-Catalyzed Hexane Isomerization Reactor

The isomerization of n-hexane to produce mono- and di-branched isomers is an important process for octane enhancement of gasoline. In a fixed bed reactor, packed with MFI catalyst, there is synergy between mixture adsorption equilibrium and intra-crystalline diffusion. This synergy is best exploited by operating the reactor in a transient manner, whereby the desired products consisting of the branched isomers can be recovered from the exiting gas mixture during the early stages of transience. This strategy essentially results in a combination of reaction and separation in a single fixed bed device.