Modeling and Simulation ofa Water Gas Shift Reactor operating at a low pressure

In order to study the WGS on an industrial scale at a low pressure, the modeling andsimulation of a WGS reactor operating at a pressure close to Patm and processing an industrial charge in the presence of a high temperature shift catalyst (Fe2O3/Cr2O3) were performed. The Profiles of the carbon monoxide conversion, temperature and pressure along the reactor were obtained. The effect of several operating parameters (inlet temperature, H2O/CO ratio) on the conversion of carbon monoxide along the reactor has been determined. The estimated catalytic mass to convert 60.5% of the carbon monoxide contained in the inlet is 170.76 t. The pressure drops in the reactor are not negligible and the maximum temperaturereached is without any harmful effect on the catalyst. The choice of an optimal inlet temperature and a high H2O/CO ratio improves the conversion of carbon monoxide.