Technology development for iron Fischer-Tropsch catalysis. Quarterly technical progress report No. 4, July 1, 1995--September 30, 1995.

TITLE: Technology development for iron Fischer-Tropsch catalysis. Quarterly technical progress report No. 4, July 1, 1995--September 30, 1995.

AUTHOR: B. H. Davis.

INST. AUTHOR: Kentucky Univ. Research Foundation, Lexington.

SPONSOR: Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

LANGUAGE: English

PUB. TYPE: Technical Report

PUB. COUNTRY: United States

SOURCE: Department of Energy [DE], 9 Jan 96, 43p.

NTIS ORDER NO.: DE96009836INW

ABSTRACT:

The affect of copper promotion on the activity and selectivity of hydrogen pretreated, precipitated iron Fischer-Tropsch catalysts was studied. Fischer-Tropsch synthesis was carried out in the slurry phase in one in one liter continuous stirred tank reactors at a space velocity of 3.lNL h(sup (minus)1) g(sup (minus)1)(Fe), H(sub 2):CO = 0.7 at either 270(degree)C or 230(degree)C. Catalysts with atomic compositions relative to iron of 10OFe/4.4Si/l.OK and 10OFe/4.4Si/2.6Cu/l.OK were used at 270(degree)C and catalysts with the compositions of 100Fe/4.4Si/4.2K and 10OFe/4.4Si/2.6Cu/4.2K were used at 230(degree)C. XRD and Moessbauer spectroscopy both show that the 10OFe/4.4Si/2.6Cu/l.OK catalyst contained approximately 24% (alpha)-Fe with the remainder Fe(sub 3)O(sub 4) after a 24 h pretreatment with hydrogen at 220(degree)C. Copper promotion was found to substantially increase the activity and productivity of the catalysts. Catalysts promoted with copper reached maximum activity within 100 h of synthesis while catalysts with no copper went through an induction period. The activity of the hydrogen pretreated 10OFe/4.4Si/2.6Cu/1.0K catalyst operated at 270(degree)C was comparable to the activity of the the 100Fe/4.4Si/l.OK catalyst after pretreatment with carbon monoxide or syngas at one atmosphere pressure. However, the activity of the hydrogen pretreated 1O0Fe/4.4Si/2.6Cu/4.2K catalyst at 230(degree)C was found to be substantially lower than the same catalyst pretreated with carbon monoxide or syngas at one atmosphere pressure.

REPORT NUMBER: DOE/PC/94055-T4

CONTRACT NUMBER: AC22-94PC94055