2516.     ---------------.  [OIL AND GAS JOURNAL.]  Fischer-Tropsch Hydrocarbon Synthesis.  Vol. 43, No. 47, 1945, p. 214.

        This process involves the catalytic conversion of water gas or natural gas into hydrocarbons.  Synthesis gas is obtained thus:

(1)  C+H₂O=CO+H₂

(2)  CH₄+H₂O=CO+3H₂.

If the latter mixture is reacted in this proportion, the tendency is to form CH₄ and lower molecular weight hydrocarbons.  Lower % of H₂ and higher temperatures form mainly CH₄, especially with Ni as catalyst.  Fe catalysts show the best results in synthesizing high-octane number products; it produces more isoparaffinic and olefinic products than do either Co or Ni; a sintered Fe catalyst is reported as the most efficient so far developed in this country.  The mixture of charge gases for reaction with Fe catalysts should be richer in CO, probably more nearly a 1:1 ratio.  Ni catalyst tends to form highly saturated, low molecular-weight hydrocarbons; Co also produces saturated hydrocarbons but generally of higher molecular weight!; Ru produces paraffins of extremely high molecular weight up to 23,000.  Lubricating oils are made by polymerizing olefins formed in the synthesis with Fe or other olefin-forming catalyst, as with AlCl₃.  Flow sheet.