Abstract: The hydrogenation of soybean oil in a cylindrical reaction kettle (180 mm high with an internal diameter of 120 mm) with first-grade soybean oil as liquid phase and Pt/C catalyst as solid phase was investigated by numerical stimulation using the FIUENT software. It was found that the fluidity of the liquid phase and catalyst distribution were optimal using a tilting blade 40 mm in diameter 80 mm above the bottom of the reaction kettle at a stirring speed of 300 r/min. A high pressure reaction kettle was developed using the major simulation parameters. After adding 90.0 g of first-grade soybean oil and 0.15% Pt/C catalyst (m/m) to the reaction kettle, CO2 was initially introduced to a pressure of 8 MPa, followed by H2 to a final pressure of 12 MPa. Under the optimized reaction conditions: temperature, 97 ℃; time, 87 min; and stirring speed 285 r/min, the iodine value of hydrogenated oil was 79.50 g I2/100 g. In conclusion, the simulation was accurate and thus could provide the theoretical basis for displaying the hydrogenation process in large equipment.

Key words: soybean oil hydrogenation, numerical simulation, catalyst distribution, high pressure reaction kettle, simulation accuracy