An alternative process for converting benzene to cyclohexane also uses a supported noble metal catalyst, but carries out the reaction in the liquid phase, at a temperature of 160 °C and pressure of 100 bare, in a slurry reactor. The catalyst has piece density 1100 kg/m3. Laboratory-scale experiments in an isothermal continuous well-mixed reactor, cooled in a bath of coolant, have determined that with a high rate of hydrogen agitation and 10wt% loading of catalyst, a conversion of 95% can be attained with 40 minutes residence time.
To scale up this reaction, it is proposed to operate a slurry reactor, agitated by hydrogen, at 95% conversion, and to recycle unconverted benzene. Design and size a reactor for making 200,000 metric tons per year of cyclohexane using this process.