Ethylene Partial Oxidation Kinetics

Process modeling and design of ethylene oxide production plant is mainly depended on kinetics of the ethylene oxide production reactions. In this article, kinetics of partial oxidation (epoxidation) of ethylene on silver catalyst was reviewed. There are three competitive reactions in this system: ethylene partial and total oxidation and ethylene oxide total oxidation. The reaction rate equations for these three reactions were compared and advantage and disadvantage of kinetic models were discussed. Dichloroethane (DCE) is used in these reactions to increase the ethylene oxide selectivity. Therefore, the reactions kinetics considering the role of DCE is also reported. Most of the kinetics models have some weakness. However, one of the reviewed models was the complete model because of including all three reactions of partial and total oxidation of ethylene and total oxidation of ethylene oxide. Also, this model considered the concentration of selectivity promoter (DCE) and reverse reactions.