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 1494.    HORNE, W. A., AND FARAGHER, W. F.   Interrogation of Dr. Pier and Staff.  I. G. Farbenindustrie A.-G. Ludwigshafen and Oppau.  II.  Synthesis of Hydrocarbons From Water Gas – Michael Process.  FIAT Rept. 426, 1945, pp. 1-8.  PB 1367 and 7745; TOM Reel 199; Bureau of Mines Inf. Circ. 7376, 1946, 27 pp.; Coke Smokeless-Fuel Age, 1946, pp. 194-195.

        Four processes developed to the pilot plant scale by the I. G. Farbenindustrie A.-G. at Ludwigshafen under the direction of Dr. Michael are described.  The fixed-bed circulating-gas process uses a fixed catalyst made by pasting powdered Fe carbonyl with a concentrated borax solution equivalent to about 1% on the Fe and sintering 1 c. of the paste at 800°-850° for 4 hr. and cooling in an H2 atmosphere.  The synthesis gas is recirculated over this in the ratio of 100 vol. of old gas to 1 vol. of new, having a CO:H2 ratio of 1:1 or 4:5, a S content of less than 2 mg. per m.3 and no CO2, so that the rise in temperature in the catalyst bed is not over 10°.  The gas velocity is about 1 m. per sec. and the time of contact 0.5-1 sec.  The flow must be nonturbulent.  Operating pressure is 20 atm. and the temperature 300°-325°.  The yield of hydrocarbons per m.3 of catalyst is 700-800 kgm. per day recovered in 3 stages of condensation.  1 m.3 of 4 CO:5 H2 gas yields about 35 gm. of CH4 and C2H6 and 160 gm. of useful products; the gasoline having an octane number of 68-70 and the gas oil a cetene number of 45-50.  In the oil-circulation process an oil fraction from the synthesis product is circulated over the catalyst to remove the heat of reaction and prevent excessive production of C and CH4.  The process operates at 20-25 atm. pressure and temperatures of 260°-300° in the first stage and 280°-330° in the second.  It uses the same catalyst as the first process.  The gas has a CO:H2 ratio of 55:45 and the yield per liter of catalyst per hr. is 20-25 gm. of all products and per m.3 of synthesis gas 150 gm., the gasoline having an octane number of 62-625 and gas oil a cetene number of 70.  Foam process has for its object the production of a higher proportion of olefins in the product.  It operates in the liquid phase using a finely divided catalyst suspended by an ascending stream of gas.  The catalyst is made by precipitation of Fe2O3 and is pasted into granules with a solution of K2CO3, dried, reduced by H2 at 350°-450° and ground fine in a ball mill mixed with gas oil.  A gas of composition CO:H2=1:1 or 4:5 is used at 20 atm. pressure and 250°.  The time of reaction is 3 minutes.  The temperature rise through the reaction chamber is about 10°.  Conversion to useful products is about 70% and the CO2 content of the exit gas is 40-45%.  The yield per day per m.3 of reaction products is 350-450 kg.  The gasoline has a 70% olefin content and the gas oil 40-50%.  In tubular reactor process, the operating pressure is 20 atm. and the temperature 230°-250°.  The synthesis gas has a CO:H2 ratio 4:5 to 5:5.  The catalyst is made by mixing Fe2O3 with 5-25% of alkali earth and 1-2% of K2CO3, pelleting, heating to 850°, cooling to 350°-450° and reducing in H2.  It has a high activity at 240° and below.  Conversion is 70-80%, giving 0.35-0.45 kg. per liter per day of products all of high olefin content.