TITLE: Development of improved iron Fischer-Tropsch catalysts. Quarterly technical progress report, 1 January 1992--31 March 1992.

AUTHOR: D. B. Bukur.

INST.  AUTHOR: Texas A and M Univ., College Station. 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],  24 Apr 92,  33p.

NTIS ORDER NO.: DE92017966INW

ABSTRACT:

Three tests (two fixed bed and one stirred tank slurry reactor) were completed during the reporting period. Also, the work on catalyst characterization by different techniques (atomic absorption, BET surface area and pore size distribution and x-ray powder diffraction). The performance of a precipitated iron catalyst with nominal composition lOOFe/0.3Cu/0.8K has been evaluated in two fixed bed reactor tests designated FB-0142 and FB-0352 following pretreatment with syngas (H(su 2)/CO=0.67) at 280(degree)C, 3Nl/g-cat/h and atomspheric pressure for 8 hours. Flow interruption occurred in the first test (FB-0142) at about 72h on stream, and the second test (FB-0352) was to assess any potential adverse effects of this flow interruption on performance of the catalyst.  The catalyst was tested at 250(degree)C, 200 psig, 2Nl/g-cat/h using syngas of the same composition as that employed during the pretreatment.  Initial conversions in both tests were high (about 84%) but the catalyst deactivated fairly rapidly. The (H(sub 2) + CO) conversion at the end of the first test (120h on stream) was about 52%, whereas the syngas conversion at the end of the second test (150h) was about 55%, indicating that the brief flow interruption during test FB-0142 had resulted in higher deactivation rate. Hydrocarbon selectivities in both tests were similar and their average values werr: (CH(sub 4))=4.7, (C(sub 2)(minus)C(sub 4))=19.5, (C(sub 5)(minus)C(sub 11))=25.3 and C(sub 12)(sup +)=50.5 wt%.

REPORT  NUMBER: DOE/PC/89868-10

CONTRACT  NUMBER: AC22-89PC89868