Numerical investigation and experimental validation of the performance of a tubular packed bed reactor for hydrogenation of diene-based ... article from: Polymer Engineering and Science

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INTRODUCTION Hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR), which is known for its excellent elastomeric properties and mechanical retention properties after long time exposure to heat, oil, and air, is produced by the catalytic hydrogenation of nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR). Hydrogenation of NBR is carried out preferably in solution in the presence of homogeneous catalysts. As yet, it is being commercially produced via a semibatch process where gaseous hydrogen continuously flows into a batch of reactant polymer. Several catalysts have been exploited successfully for the hydrogenation of NBR in organic solvents, which include palladium, iridium, rhodium, ruthenium, and osmium complexes (1). Owing to the drawbacks of batch production (such as time taken for charging and discharging the reactants/products, heating and...