Catalytic Reactions at High Pressures

Abstract

THE technical synthesis of ammonia by high pressure catalysis has given a great impetus to the development of high pressure reactions. At the present time reaction pressures are confined to a few hundred atmospheres, at which pressures the technical problems in so far as material and construction are concerned may be fairly claimed to be solved. Work in the high pressure laboratory at Amsterdam envisages operating pressures above ten thousand atmospheres and a few determinations of physical constants have already been made at pressures as high as 35,000 atmospheres. At these pressures, again, especially at high temperatures, new problems of material, construction, and design will confront the engineer hoping to industrialise a process operating under these conditions. Technical interest in catalysis at high pressures is at present focused on the numerous reactions involving the use of water gas as raw material and on hydrogena-tion of coal, including products derived from coal. Many others involving processes of amination and oxidation are doubtless capable of development.