Task 4.9 -- Value-added products from syngas. Semi-annual report, July 1--December 31, 1996

Technical Report · Fri Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/634159· OSTI ID:634159

Olson, E S; Sharma, R K

The work on advanced fuel forms in 1996 focused on the synthesis of higher alcohols from mixtures of hydrogen and carbon dioxide (syngas) from coal gasification. Initial work in this project utilized a novel molybdenum sulfide catalyst previously shown to be active for hydrodesulfurization reactions of coal liquids. A pressurized fixed-bed flow-through reactor was constructed, and the MoS{sub 2} catalysts were tested with syngas under a variety of conditions. Unfortunately, the catalysts, even with higher molybdenum loading and addition of promoters, failed to give alcohol products. A batch reactor test of the catalyst was also conducted, but did not produce alcohol products. Group VIII metals have been used previously in catalysts for syngas reactions. Ruthenium and rhodium catalysts were prepared by impregnation of a hydrotalcite support. Tests with these catalysts in flow-through reactors also did not produce the desired alcohol products. The formation of higher alcohols from smaller ones, such as methanol and ethanol, could be commercially important if high selectivity could be achieved. The methanol and ethanol would be derived from syngas and fermentation, respectively. Based on previous work in other laboratories, it was hypothesized that the hydrotalcite-supported MoS{sub 2} or Ru or Rh catalysts could catalyze the formation of butyl alcohols. Although the desired 1-butanol was obtained in batch reactions with the promoted ruthenium catalyst, the reaction was not as selective as desired. Product suitable for a lower-vapor-pressure gasoline oxygenate additive was obtained, but it may not be economical to market such products in competition with methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE). Flow-through catalytic bed reactions were not successful.

• Research Organization: North Dakota Univ., Energy and Environmental Research Center, Grand Forks, ND (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FC21-93MC30097
• OSTI ID: 634159
• Report Number(s): DOE/MC/30097--5589; ON: DE97002236
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
BUTANOLS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
COAL GASIFICATION
FUEL ADDITIVES
MOLYBDENUM SULFIDES
PROGRESS REPORT
RHODIUM
RUTHENIUM
SYNTHESIS
SYNTHESIS GAS