TITLE: Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis from a Low H sub 2 :CO Gas in a Dry Fluidized-Bed System. Technical Progress Report, April 1-June 30, 1983.

AUTHOR: Y. A. Liu;   A. M. Squires;   K. Konrad.

INST.  AUTHOR: Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg.  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],  1983,  128p.

ABSTRACT:

The objective of this project is to experimentally develop and demonstrate a novel dry fluidized-bed reactor system (called heat tray) for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis from a low H sub 2 :CO gas. The new reactor involves conducting catalytic synthesis reactions primarily in a horizontal conveying zone, in which fine particles of iron catalyst are carried in a relatively dilute suspension by a large flow of reacting gas. A secondary reaction zone, in the form of a shallow fluidized bed of catalyst particles, is situated beneath the primary reaction zone. This shallow bed also has immersed horizontal heat-transfer tubes for removing reaction heat. A major thrust of the new reactor development is to prevent carbon deposits from forming on the iron catalyst, which cause deactivation and physical degradation. This is to be achieved by conducting the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in an unsteady-state mode, particularly by alternately exposing the iron catalyst to a large flow of low H sub 2 :CO gas for a short period of time and to a small flow of H sub 2 -rich gas for a long period of time. Experimental work was initiated on the unsteady-state Fischer-Tropsch synthesis using a fully-automated vibrofluidized microreactor system and a computer-controlled on-line gas chromatographic (GC) system for product analysis. Both the reactor and GC systems performed well in all experiments, and no mechanical problems were observed throughout the experiments lasting as long as twenty hours.  Preliminary estimates indicated that the conversion of CO to carbon was only on the order of one-tenth of one percent. This encouraging result provided evidence that it should be possible to experimentally identify cycling conditions which could prevent carbon deposits on the catalyst while treating a synthesis gas of low H sub 2 :CO ratio. (ERA citation 08:048770)

REPORT  NUMBER: DOE/PC/50791-T2

CONTRACT  NUMBER: FG22-82PC50791