TITLE: Coal-Liquefaction Research. Semi Annual Progress Report, October 1, 1980-March 30, 1981.

AUTHOR: H. Heinemann.

INST.  AUTHOR: California Univ., Berkeley. Lawrence Berkeley Lab.

SPONSOR: Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

LANGUAGE: English

PUB.  TYPE: Technical Report

PUB.  COUNTRY: United States

SOURCE: Department of Energy [DE],  Mar 81,  13p.

ABSTRACT:

This project is aimed at examining the differences between Fischer-Tropsch reactions carried out in a slurry reactor on the one hand and in a fixed bed reactor on the other hand. There are two differences between slurries and fixed beds: (1) in a slurry reactor, less catalyst deactivation is observed, even at low H sub 2 /CO ratios; (2) the product distributions are different: higher relative amounts of heavy products are produced in the slurry. Both of these differences have been confirmed experimentally. An earlier phase of this project was concerned with temperature control in the reactors. The present phase centers on an investigation of mass transport phenomena. The experiments have been aimed at measuring mass transfer coefficients and reaction kinetics, which will be used in a model of the slurry reactor. Obtaining data has been difficult, for two mechanical reasons. First, the flow controllers have not been functioning properly, and second, the catalyst tends to cake, and sometimes plug the reactor. Experiments with a glass column, the geometry of which is similar to that of the pressure slurry reactor have led to the design of baffles that break up clumps of catalyst. The data taken allow us to draw some conclusions about the Fischer-Tropsch slurry system. (ERA citation 06:029868)

REPORT  NUMBER: LBL-12920

CONTRACT  NUMBER: W-7405-ENG-48