In this work, the authors pursue a reactor concept that is SMART (Sustainable, Multipurpose, Autonomous, Resilient, and Transferable) for the chemical hydrogenolysis of glycerol to 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PDO). Using this reaction as a case study, they couple modelling with experimental investigation to tailor selectivity and reaction control, with the longer-term aim of enabling model-predictive control for autonomous reactor operation.
The reaction was separated into two stages, a high-temperature step for the endothermic glycerol dehydration under an inert atmosphere and a subsequent low-temperature step for the hydrogenation under a hydrogen atmosphere. The corresponding kinetic parameters were determined through graphical evaluation and non-linear regression analysis, and the resulting kinetic model reproduced the measured concentration profiles in good agreement with the experimental data.
By combining a rigorous experimental study with a validated kinetic description, the work provides a foundation for the development of autonomous, resilient, and sustainable chemical reactors. The study is a collaboration between the Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry at the University of Hamburg and the Institute of Process Systems Engineering at Hamburg University of Technology, carried out within projects B06 and C03 of the CRC 1615 SMART Reactors.
Piet Hassenstein, Jan-Dominik H. Krueger, Leandros Paschalidis, Dorothea Voß, Mirko Skiborowski, Jakob Albert (2026). Glycerol Hydrogenolysis Goes SMART─Separating Reaction Steps as a Key for Tailoring Selectivity and Reaction Control. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 65 (22), 11298-11309.
