Combination of exothermic and endothermic reactions is a very interesting problem for the effective use of the reaction heat in chemical reactions, and it has involved many studies as it can provide the possibility of simultaneously obtaining various materials in one reactor.
1.4-butanediol is converted to γ-butyrolactone by dehydrogenation reactions, which accepts much heat and releases hydrogen. The hydrogenation reaction of furfural is exothermic and needs hydrogen. This reaction, combined with a dehydrogenation reaction, can simultaneously solve reaction temperature retention and hydrogen feedstock problems.
Ri Jong Chol, a researcher at the Faculty of Chemical Engineering, designed a complex process for suppressing the local temperature rises of catalysts caused by exothermic reactions in the gas-phase hydrogenation of furfural and realizing temperature stabilization by combining exothermic reactions with endothermic reactions by dehydrogenation of 1.4-butanediol.
He constructed a process for simultaneous performance of the hydrogenation of the furfural and the dehydrogenation of 1.4-butanediol using Cu/MgO catalyst in a single reactor, and analyzed the effect of mixture ratio of furfural and 1.4-butanediol in the feed, reactor pressure and inlet temperature on the adiabatic temperature change of reactor.
When the mixing ratio of furfural and 1.4-butanediol was 1:1.2, the temperature change was about 20~30℃ within the 1 meter section of a reactor in the adiabatic conditions.
If further details are needed, please refer to his paper “Simulation of a Furfuryl Alcohol Synthesis Process Combining Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions” in “Proceedings of KUTIC-2025”.