Fundamentals of Reaction and Diffusion in Porous Catalysis

Heterogeneous catalysis is crucial for industrial chemical production, but internal diffusion limitations can drastically reduce process efficiency. This course provides a foundational understanding of how mass transfer interacts with reaction kinetics inside porous catalyst particles. By the end of this course, you will be able to analyze reaction kinetics within porous solids, calculate key metrics like the Thiele modulus, and determine the true reaction rate under diffusion limitations, allowing you to design more efficient industrial reactors. What you'll learn: * Understand the interplay between intrinsic reaction kinetics and mass transfer within porous catalysts. * Calculate effective diffusivity and characterize the catalyst pore structure using fundamental transport principles. * Apply the Thiele modulus to predict the degree of internal diffusion resistance for various catalyst geometries. * Determine the internal and overall effectiveness factors to quantify catalyst utilization and performance. * Analyze apparent reaction rates and reaction orders based on experimental data under diffusion-limited conditions. * Practice using these concepts to evaluate and optimize industrial catalyst particle design for maximum efficiency. The course begins with foundational definitions of mass transfer and reaction kinetics, progresses through the derivation of the governing equations for porous media, and concludes with practical methods for calculating and interpreting effectiveness factors. This course is designed for absolute beginners in chemical reaction engineering, including students and new process engineers. No prior experience with advanced catalysis or reactor design is required. Start reading today and gain the skills necessary to optimize complex catalytic processes.