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Title: Selective production of C{sub 4} hydrocarbons from syngas in a dual reactor using Co-Ni/ZrO{sub 2} and SO{sub 4}{sup 2{minus}}/ZrO{sub 2} catalysts

Journal Article · · Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ie9804881· OSTI ID:345339
; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Canada)

The product stream from the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reaction using a Co-Ni/ZrO{sub 2} catalyst was modified by So{sub 4}{sup 2{minus}}/ZrO{sub 2} catalyst (solid acid catalyst) in a dual fixed-bed microreaction system. While the operating conditions for the first reactor containing the FT catalyst was fixed at 523 K and 1 atm, the effects of operating variables such as the second reactor temperature, the Co-Ni/ZrO{sub 2}:SO{sub 4}{sup 2{minus}}/ZrO{sub 2} catalyst ratio and weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) on the steady-state product distribution were investigated. In this process, high selectivity (33 wt %) toward the total C{sub 4} hydrocarbons was achieved when the second reactor was operated at 423 K, with a catalyst ratio of 1:1:5 and at a WHSV of 15 h{sup {minus}1}. This selectivity is much higher compared to a maximum selectivity of 14 wt % obtained using a single reactor with a Co-Ni/ZrO{sub 2} catalyst. Catalyst characterization using temperature-programmed desorption of NH{sub 3} and {sup 1}H MAS NMR showed that this high selectivity toward total C{sub 4} hydrocarbons was due to the strong acidity of the SO{sub 4}{sup 2{minus}}/ZrO{sub 2} catalyst. However, this catalyst deactivated rapidly which was due to coke deposition on the SO{sub 4}{sup 2{minus}} catalyst. However, this catalyst deactivated rapidly which was due to coke deposition on the SO{sub 4}{sup 2{minus}}/ZrO{sub 2} catalyst. Under these experimental conditions, external and intraparticle mass transfer effects were found to be negligible. On the basis of the product distribution in a dual-reaction system, a reaction pathway has been proposed.

OSTI ID:
345339
Journal Information:
Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol. 38, Issue 4; Other Information: PBD: Apr 1999
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English