An Experimental Study of Multiple Steady States in an Adiabatic Coal Liquefaction Reactor. Final Report

An Experimental Study of Multiple Steady States in an Adiabatic Coal Liquefaction Reactor.
Final Report - 1983

Bhattacharjee, S.
McMahon, M.
Shah, Y. T.
Tierney, J. W.

University of Pittsburgh

Table of Contents

1	Introduction	1
2	Reactor Design	2
3	Process Flow Diagram	6
4	Data Acquisition and Control	8
5	Fischer-Tropsch Reaction	9
6	Experimental Procedure	13
7	Preliminary Runs to Evaluate Adiabatic Operations	16
8	Preliminary Runs to Evaluate the Thermal Requirement for F-T Reaction	22
9	Conversion of Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen	27
10	Conclusions and Recommendations	35
	Bibliography	36
	Appendix: Reactor Digital Control System	37

List of Tables

1	Typical properties of the ammonia synthesis catalyst	11
2	Typical properties of the liquid carrier used for Fischer-Tropsch reaction	12
3	Table of Q' vs. dT/dt under different conditions	24
4	Reaction conditions for F-T reaction	32
5	Thermal effect of F-T reaction with Q' = 2.5W	33
6	Thermal effect of F-T reaction with Q' = 0	34

List of Figures

1	Cross section of adiabatic container for slurry reactor	3
2	Position of the thermocouple around the reactor body and the coppyer vessel	5
3	Process flow diagram	7
4	Sample gas chromatogram	15
5	Temperature response of the reactor for Q' = 0	18
6	Temperature response of the reactor for Q' = 5W	19
7	Temperature response of the reactor for Q' - 10W	20
8	Plot of Q' versus dT/dt for diabatic runs	21
9	Thermal effect of F-T reactor with Q' = 2.5W	25
10	Thermal effect of F-T reactor with Q' = 0	26
11	Conversion of carbon monoxide (set 1)	28
12	Conversion of hydrogen (set 2)	29
13	Conversion of carbon monoxide (set 2)	31
14	Conversion of hydrogen (set 2)	31
A-1	Synchronous Portion (Main)	41
A-2	Asynchronous Portion	42
A-3	Subroutine Job 1	43
A-4	Subroutine Job 3	44
A-5	Subroutine Job 4	45
A-6	Subroutine Job 5	46
A-7	Subroutine Job 6	47