TITLE: Catalyst and Reactor Development for a Liquid-Phase Fischer-Tropsch Process. Quarterly Technical Progress Report, 1 October 1981-31 December 1981.

AUTHOR: P. N. Dyer;   R. Pierantozzi;   B. W. Brian;   J. V. Bauer.

INST.  AUTHOR: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA.

SPONSOR: Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

LANGUAGE: English

PUB.  TYPE: Technical Report

PUB.  COUNTRY: United States

SOURCE: Department of Energy [DE],  Jan 82,  82p.

ABSTRACT:

This program contains four major tasks: (1) Project Work Plan, (2) Slurry Catalyst Development, (3) Slurry Reactor Design Studies, and (4) Pilot Facility Design. In Task 2, five modified conventional catalysts were prepared, and six gas phase screening tests were carried out. One of these catalysts gave an excellent diesel fuel type product distribution, with a low CH sub 4 yield and good stability. Two slurry tests were run. The first used a 19 wt % slurry of ammonia synthesare catalyst as a baseline F-T case, and incorporated the slurry reactor mass transfer tests by varying stirring rates and space velocities as a function of temperature.  Product distributions were straight line Schulz-Flory, as expected with this type of catalyst. The data are currently being analyzed to separate mass transfer and chemical rate effects. The second utilized a slurry of a coprecipitated catalyst, activated in the slurry phase. The pressure and temperature required for activation and reaction were found to be higher than for the gas phase screening tests, and deviations from the standard hydrocarbon product distribution were small. The usage and feed ratios were equal for 1:1 syngas. Seven supported cluster catalysts were synthesized and eight were screened in the gas phase. One of these produced a high selectivity to 1-butene and n-pentane. In Task 3, measurements of gas hold-up and solids dispersion in the 5'' column were completed for the 45 to 53 mu m and 90 to 106 mu m iron oxide/isoparaffin systems. Contrary to the silica slurry results, an increase in gas hold-up was observed with a positive slurry velocity. No dependence of gas hold-up on distributor type was observed, however. With the 43 to 53 mu m slurry, the solids concentration profiles were uniform under all conditions studied, but with the 90 to 106 mu m slurry, a decrease in solids concentration with column height was observed at zero slurry velocity.

REPORT  NUMBER: DOE/PC/30021-T8

CONTRACT  NUMBER: AC22-80PC30021