The kinetics of palmitamide hydrodenitrification has been described on a sulphidated NiMo/γ-Al2O3 catalyst involving gas-to-liquid and liquid-to-surface mass transfer in a batch reactor at different temperatures (250–290 °C), pressures (30–70 bar) and H2 and N2 atmospheres with and without catalyst. A reaction system with 23 different reactions was developed, focusing on the main intermediates (palmitic acid, hexadecane-1-amine), which were studied to better understand the system. The model represents the first of its kind mathematical mechanistic description of the process, explaining the role of water and ammonia in the system and the mechanisms for the formation of the dimers. The reactions are strongly temperature dependent both in the presence and absence of hydrogen. The following characterisation methods were used to confirm the assumptions and the description of the system: SEM-EDX, XRD, STEM, TPD-MS, BET, TPR and TPO and GC-MS.
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