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U.S. Department of Energy
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Alcohol synthesis in a high-temperature slurry reactor

Conference ·
OSTI ID:370708
; ;  [1]
  1. North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (United States)

The synthesis of alcohols from mixtures of H{sub 2} and CO was studied in a stirred autoclave reactor at temperatures up to 400{degrees}C and pressures up to 170 atma. The catalyst, a commercial {open_quotes}high pressure{close_quotes}, {open_quotes}zinc chromite{close_quotes} methanol synthesis catalyst, was suspended in either tetrahydronaphthalene or decahydronaphthalene. These two liquids were far more stable at reaction conditions than other hydrocarbon liquids that were evaluated as potential slurry media. Methanol was the only significant product at temperatures of 325{degrees}C and lower. At 375{degrees}C and higher, the methanol synthesis reaction was essentially in equilibrium. Dimethyl ether, paraffins and olefins were also formed at these temperatures. The water associated with these products was shifted to CO{sub 2} essentially quantitatively.

OSTI ID:
370708
Report Number(s):
CONF-960376--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English