https://tue.osiris-student.nl/onderwijscatalogus/extern/cursus?cursuscode=6PDPPD590&collegejaar=2025&taal=enKinetics is the study that focuses on describing the rate of change in chemical conversions. It is fundamental to the modern understanding of catalysis but also serves as an important tool in process engineering. In this course, an introduction is given to kinetic modelling with a special focus on heterogeneous catalysis. At the end of this course, the student should be comfortable formulating (catalytic) reaction mechanism and derive detailed kinetic rate expressions targeted towards quantitative modeling.
- Conceptually understand the principle of an elementary reaction step.
- Construct a rate expression for an elementary reaction step.
- Derive higher-level rate expressions using systems of elementary reaction steps.
- Understand how elementary reaction steps define a reaction mechanism.
- Apply the steady-state approximation to simplify systems of rate equations in order to obtain analytical solutions.
- Construct a Langmuir-Hinshelwood isotherm from the relevant elementary reaction steps
- Identify competitive adsorption, direct adsorption and dissociative adsorption.
- Understand the mean-field approximation when applied to catalytic reactions and its consequences.
- Apply assumptions such as steady-state approximation, pre-equilbrium, rate-determining step, irreversible step or zero-conversion assumptions to derive the rate expression for a catalytic reaction.
- Determine the reaction order.
- Derive the reaction order using the formula and express it as a function of the surface coverage.
- Conceptually understand the interpretation of the apparent activation energy.
- Derive the apparent activation energy and express its value in terms of adsorption enthalpies and surface coverages.
Assignment