Kinetic Regularities of Hydrogenation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on Nickel Catalysts

A mathematical analysis of the process for the preparation of high-density jet fuels of T-6 and T‑8V grades, based on hydrogenation of polycyclic aromatic (mostly bicyclic) hydrocarbons, has been performed. The process was carried out on a pilot laboratory plant using two nickel catalysts: Raney nickel and nickel on kieselguhr. The experimental data obtained for temperatures of 200–400°C and different feed space velocities were used to construct a mathematical model for catalytic hydrogenation of hydrocarbons that allows for changes in the volume of the reaction mixture. The concentrations of mono- and bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (initial and intermediate compounds) and naphthenes (target products) obtained within the framework of the mathematical model are in good agreement with the measured concentrations. The solution of the inverse kinetic problem made it possible to estimate the kinetic parameters of the main chemical transformations in the hydrogenation of aromatic hydrocarbons.