Abstract: A radial bed reactor model for the isomerization of C8 aromatics was developed by applying a six-component sequential reaction network. Based on industrial data, the simulated annealing algorithm was used to fit the reaction rate constants of the reaction network, and the concentration distributions of all components could be obtained for reversible and irreversible reaction networks. The results showed that the calculated values of the model fit the industrial data very well, and the relative error was small. By comparing the concentration distribution data of the two reaction networks, the reversible reaction network was closer to the real industrial process. Based on reversible reaction network model, the effect of space velocity on reaction results was calculated. It was found that the lower space velocity could lead to increase of by-products, and the higher space velocity could lead to decrease of PX.

Key words: C8 aromatics isomerization, reactor model, simulated annealing algorithm, radial bed reactor