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Conversion of Cellulosic Wastes to Liquid Hydrocarbon Fuels:
Vol. 2, A Kinetic Study of the Modified Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis Over an Alumina-Supported Cobalt Oxide Catalyst: Final Report - 1986

Kuester, James L.

Arizona State University - Tempe College of Engineering Sciences

Table of Contents

List of Tables ix
List of Figures xv
Chapter
 

I

Introduction 1

II

Overview of the Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis 10
  II-1 Brief History of the Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis 10
II-2 Fischer-Tropsch Chemistry 14
II-3 Thermodynamics 19
II-4 Mechanism 22
II-5 Kinetics 35

III

Kinetic Model Development for the Modified Fischer-Tropsch Reaction 39
  III-1 Definitions 39
III-2 Assumptions 43
III-3 Mechanism 47
III-4 Rate Equations (Kinetic Models) 67

IV

Experiments 72
 

IV-1

Fixed-bed Microreactor System 72

IV-2

Operating Procedure 85

IV-3

Laboratory Safety 89

IV-4

Experimental Design 91

IV-5

Kinetic Justification Experiments 94

IV-6

Kinetic Experiments 97

IV-7

Catalyst Preparation and Characterization 98

IV-8

Product Analysis 112

IV-9

Computer Computation 117

V

Results and Discussions 121
 

V-1

Thermodynamic Study 121

V-2

Catalyst Characterization 130

V-3

Justification for Kinetic Experiments 136

V-4

Kinetic Experiments and Models 148

V-5

Product Distribution 170

V-6

Experimental Error 180

VI

Conclusion 180
Bibliography 184
Appendix
 

A

Sample Derivation of Kinetic Model (#6) 202

B

Calculations of Theoretical Criteria for Diffusion Effects 231

C

Sample Product Distributions 243

D

Sample Chemisorption Experiment 280

E

Sample XRD Experiment and Line Broadening Calculation 285

F

XRF Calibration and Sample Experiment 291

G

Gas Chromatograph Response Factor 296

H

Sample Product Analysis and Material Balance 315

I

Operational Settings for Various Equipment 325

J

Rotameter Calibrations 334

K

List of Computer Software Codes 342

L

Steepest Descent Method in Equilibrium Computation and Results of Thermodynamic Simulations 399

M

Sample Calculations of Transport Properties 452

N

Sample Experimental Error Analysis 466