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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