TITLE: Novel approaches to the production of higher alcohols from synthesis gas. Quarterly technical progress report No. 9, October 1, 1992--December 31, 1992.

INST.  AUTHOR: North Carolina State Univ. at Raleigh. 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],  28 Apr 93,  23p.

NTIS ORDER NO.: DE93018038INW

ABSTRACT:

Several possible high-temperature reactor oils have been identified and are being evaluated. One candidate, Drakeol(reg sign) 34 mineral oil, appeared to decompose rapidly during testing at 425(degree)C in the stirred autoclave. However, a thermal stability test in laboratory glassware showed that Drakeol(reg sign) 34 was stable at about 360(degree)C, suggesting that the decomposition observed in the autoclave was not caused simply by high temperature. Another oil, Ethylflo(reg sign) 180, also showed no signs of decomposition during thermal stability testing in the laboratory, also at a temperature of about 360(degree)C. The first of three methanol synthesis verification runs was conducted in the stirred autoclave, using the commercial BASF Cu/ZnO catalyst. Gas chromatograph failures and apparent catalyst deactivation prevented collection of any meaningful data during the run.

REPORT  NUMBER: DOE/PC/90043-T10

CONTRACT  NUMBER: AC22-90PC90043