1956. KOMAREWSKY, V. I. Production of Synthetic Liquid Fuel From Natural Gas. Petrol. Refiner, vol. 24, No. 5, 1945, pp. 96-98; Petrol. Eng., vol. 16, No. 12, 1945, pp. 202, 204, 206.

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Literature Abstracts

Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is reviewed with brief description of the products – gasoline, diesel oil, paraffins, and lubricants. the progress of the process was accelerated by the discovery of the middle-pressure synthesis in 1936. At pressures of 75-220 p.s.i., an optimum yield of solid plus liquid hydrocarbons was obtained. The chief advantage was that loss in catalyst activity was decreased. Whereas the yield dropped from 7.7 to 5.9 lb. per 1,000 cu. ft. in normal-pressure synthesis in 4 weeks, the middle pressure synthesis produced 8.9 lb. initially, and still was above 5.9 lb. after 26 weeks of operation. This synthesis has been performed with Co and Fe catalysts; Ni catalysts deteriorate rapidly owing to formation of Ni carbonyl. In 1938 it was found that Ru catalyst at high pressure produced solid hydrocarbons more effectively than any other metal of the 8^th group. At 1,500 p.s.i. pressure and 383° F., 5.9 lb. of paraffin wax and 3 lb. of oil were obtained per 1,000 cu. ft. of synthesis gas with no appreciable change in the activity of the catalyst in a 6 months test. By solvent extraction of a solid paraffin obtained in this way, a wax was obtained with a melting point of 270°-273° F. and with a molecular weight of 23,000. Recently 2 new syntheses have been announced, naphthene synthesis and isosynthesis; details, however, have not been disclosed. It is implied that gasoline of higher octane numbers is produced; naphthenes and aromatics and isoparaffins, respectively, are produced. In the latter case the C₄ fraction from the process contains 90% of isobutane. Future developments in the Fischer-Tropsch process must proceed in the following directions: (a) Development of a S-resisting catalyst; (b) utilization of CO-H₂ mixtures of various composition; (c) synthesis of branched-chain hydrocarbons. The last can probably be attained by developing a complexaction catalyst combining the hydrogenation, polymerizing, and isomerizing ability.

----------. See abs. 2824.