TITLE: Liquid-Phase-Methanol Process-Development Unit: Installation, Operation, and Support Studies. Technical Progress Report No. 7, 1 April 1983-30 June 1983.

INST.  AUTHOR: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA.

SPONSOR: Chem Systems, Inc., Tarrytown, NY.*Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

LANGUAGE: English

PUB.  TYPE: Technical Report

PUB.  COUNTRY: United States

SOURCE: Department of Energy [DE],  20 Jul 83,  171p.

ABSTRACT:

Notable progress was made in this seventh period of contract performance.  Recommendations were received from Hydrocarbon Research, Inc. (HRI) on the design of the LaPorte LPMeOH PDU ebullated reactor. Preliminary drawings of the reactor feed distributor and inlet plenum were reviewed and finalized. HRI completed the supporting cold flow test work and found that both ebullated catalysts EPJ 19 and EPJ 25 exhibited comparable, acceptable bed expansion and attrition characteristics. Heavy activity occurred in the Allentown laboratories in the area of new catalyst preparations and screening. Experimental work on iron carbonyl removal concluded with successful demonstration of the efficacy of an alpha-alumina guard bed to remove high levels of iron carbonyl from feed gas to a live autoclave reactor. To support the effort on catalyst life determination, a new 300 cc autoclave was started on an activity maintenance run with CO-rich, unbalanced gas feed. Revisions were made to the fundamental model computer program to enhance the program. The LaPorte LPMeOH PDU slurry reactor was simulated over a range of proposed operating conditions. Simulation results suggest mass transfer effects will be small, the reactor is not equilibrium limited, and kinetic control is evident. The modifications to the Fairfield Lab PDU were completed. The Lab PDU equipment and instrumentation were commissioned, and shakedown was successfully accomplished up to hot slurry circulation. (ERA citation 08:045781)

REPORT  NUMBER: DOE/PC/30019-T7

CONTRACT  NUMBER: AC22-81PC30019