Feasibility of Pattern Formation in Catalytic Reactors

Abstract-The asymptotic stability regions for the patterned steady-state solution in a two-particle catalytic CSTR, established by Arce and Ramkrishna (1991, A.IC1I.E. J. 37,98-l lo), are constructed using two approaches, Liapunov’s direct method and the construction of a trapping region. In addition, the trapping regions are also constructed for uniform steady-state solutions. Stability regions for the patterned solution show that for a two-particle system, the patterned steady state is indeed practically attainable. The construction can be extended to the N-particle CSTR. The analysis of pattern formation in a CSTR is extended to an m-simultaneous reaction system to show some potential utilities with respect to selectivities and selective yields. Simple calculations demonstrate that, for a system of two parallel Langmuir-Hinshelwood reactions, the yield of the desired product is greatly enhanced by operating the CSTR at a patterned steady state.