TITLE: Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis from a Low H sub 2 :CO Gas in a Dry Fluidized-Bed System. Technical Progress Report, September 1, 1982-March 31, 1983.

AUTHOR: Y. A. Liu;   A. M. Squires;   K. Konrad.

INST.  AUTHOR: Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg.  Dept. of Chemical Engineering.

SPONSOR: Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

LANGUAGE: English

PUB.  TYPE: Technical Report

PUB.  COUNTRY: United States

SOURCE: Department of Energy [DE],  1983,  137p.

ABSTRACT:

The objective of this project is to experimentally develop and demonstrate a novel dry fluidized-bed reactor system (called heat tray) for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis from a low H sub 2 :CO gas. The new reactor involves conducting catalytic synthesis reactions primarily in a horizontal conveying zone, in which fine particles of iron catalyst are carried in a relatively dilute suspension by a large flow of reacting gas.  A secondary reaction zone, in the form of a shallow fluidized bed of catalyst particles, is situated beneath the primary reaction zone. This shallow bed also has immersed horizontal heat-transfer tubes for removing reaction heat. A major thrust of the new reactor development is to prevent carbon deposits from forming on the iron catalyst, which cause deactivation and physical degradation. This is to be achieved by conducting the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in an unsteady-state mode, particularly by alternately exposing the iron catalyst to a large flow of low H sub 2 :CO gas for a short period of time and to a small flow of H sub 2 -rich gas for a long period of time. During the past several months, the design, construction and steady-state testing of a fully-automated vibrofluidized microreactor system have been successfully completed, and a computer-controlled gas chromatographic (GC) system for gas-product analysis has also been tied to the reactor system. Work on unsteady-state Fischer-Tropsch synthesis experiments is to be initiated shortly. In addition, supporting hydrodynamic and heat-transfer studies in several shallow fluidized-bed systems have produced some encouraging data. The results indicate very high heat-transfer coefficients of 300-400 W/m exp 2 - exp 0 K between a shallow bed and its immersed horizontal heat-transfer tube, and of about 7000 W/m exp 2 - exp 0 K between a supernatant gas stream and a shallow bed which closely simulates the microreactor system in use. (ERA citation 08:040421)

REPORT  NUMBER: DOE/PC/50791-T1

CONTRACT  NUMBER: FG22-82PC50791