Table 3 - Comparison between High-Temperature Iron-Catalyst Process and Conventional Cobalt-Catalyst Process

Comparison between High-Temperature Iron-Catalyst Process and Conventional Cobalt-Catalyst Process

Source of data	Present experiments		German commercial practice
Catalyst	Iron (synthetic-ammonia)		Cobalt
Type of Process	Fixed bed	Fluid bed	Fixed bed
Space velocity, vol./vol. catalyst/hr.	1000	1000	50	70
Pressure, atmos. gauge	20	20	0	10
Temperature, ºC.	318	300	190	190
CO converted, percent	95	99+	93	94
CO converted to CO₂ percent of total	10	Nil	0.5	0.1
CO converted to CH₄ percent of total	13	20	10.5	8.9
CO converted to higher hydrocarbons, percent of total	77	80	89	91
Yield of C₂ to C₄ g./N.cu.m. inert free gas	90	110	21	16
Yield of liquid hydrocarbons g./N.cu.m. inert free gas	70	35	142	147
Total yield of higher hydrocarbons, g./N.cu.m. inert free gas	160	145	163	163
Space-time-yield- of higher hydrocarbons, tons/cu.m. catalyst/day	3.8	3.5	0.22	0.25
Composition of higher hydrocarbons, percent by weight C₂ to C₄ hydrocarbons	56	75	14	10
Spirit, 30º to 200ºC	34	18	51	37
Middle oil, 200° to 300°C	6	4.5	25	26
Wax, residue above 300°C	4	2.5	10	27