On the kinetics of the isomerization of glucose to fructose using Sn-Beta

Process design and techno-economic evaluation of glucose isomerization on Sn-Beta require reliable catalytic reaction rate expressions and kinetic constants. Here, the isomerization of sugars (glucose, fructose and mannose) in water using Sn-Beta is investigated at various temperatures ranging from 70 to 130°C. It is shown that the catalyst deactivates during the course of the reaction. A phenomenological model that describes the isomerization reaction in the presence of deactivation is developed and the corresponding kinetic constants are estimated from experimental data.