Simulation of product distributions from pyrolysis of normal and branched alkane mixtures over a wide range of conversions.

Abstract

Three normal and branched alkane mixtures: n-pentane+n-hexane+n-heptane, 2-methylbutane+2-methylpentane+2-methylhexane, and 2-methylbutane+n-pentane+2-methylpentane+n-hexane+2-methylhexane+n-heptane were pyrolyzed at 700°C under atmospheric pressure. The alkane mixtures were diluted by nitrogen so as to give almost the same partial pressure for each component as that in the commercial cracking of naphtha, and the product distributions over a wide range of conversions are presented. A simulation model for the product distribution, which has been proposed for pure alkane in a previous study, was applied to the pyrolysis of alkane mixtures by taking into account the interaction between coexisting components. It was found by comparing with the experimental results that the present simulation model can be applied to simulate the product distributions over a wide range of conversions for normal and branched alkane mixtures.