TITLE: Low severity upgrading of F-T waxes with solid superacids.  Quarterly report, September 1--November 30, 1994.

AUTHOR: J. W. Tierney;   I. Wender.

INST.  AUTHOR: Pittsburgh Univ., PA. Dept. of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering.

SPONSOR: Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

LANGUAGE: English

PUB.  TYPE: Technical Report

PUB.  COUNTRY: United States

SOURCE: Department of Energy [DE],  1994,  7p.

NTIS ORDER NO.: DE95006937INW

ABSTRACT:

In this quarter the authors studied the isomerization and hydrocracking of n-hexadecane using Pt/ZrO(sub 2)/SO(sub 4) three-way gel catalysts prepared under CO(sub 2) supercritical conditions. Two different platinum-containing compounds were used as platinum sources. It appeared that the Pt/ZrO(sub 2)/SO(sub 4) catalyst derived from H(sub 2)PtCl(sub 6)H(sub 2)O gave better conversion for n-Cl(sub 16) than the catalyst prepared from platinum acetylacetonate. The activities of Pt and Ni promoted ZrO(sub 2)/SO(sub 4) catalysts were compared. At 300 C and 500 psig of H(sub 2) (700--730 psig during the reaction), about a 45 wt% conversion of n-hexadecane was obtained using NiZrO(sub 2)/SO(sub 4) catalyst; this catalyst gave only a 7 wt% conversion for hydrocracking of n-hexadecane at 160 C and 350 psig of H(sub 2) (220--420 psig during the reaction). Attempts were made to react n-heptane with alcohol to produce C(sub 4)-C(sub 9) ethers, good gasoline additives. Large amounts of dimethyl ether are formed in these reactions; the acidity of solid superacids plays a key role in the formation of desirable ethers (C(sub 4)-C(sub 9)).

REPORT  NUMBER: DOE/PC/91304-T12

CONTRACT  NUMBER: FG22-91PC91304