Technology development for iron and cobalt Fischer-Tropsch catalysts

Technical Report · Mon Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1999

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/775014· OSTI ID:775014

Davis, B H

The impact of deuterium on the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis was studied with a precipitated iron catalyst in the slurry phase. Deuterium has been used by several research groups to better understand the mechanism of CO hydrogenation. Inverse (k{sub H}/k{sub D} < 1), normal (k{sub H}/k{sub D} > 1) and no isotope effect (k{sub H}/k{sub D} = 1) have been reported. The conflicting results are thought to arise because rate of reaction is a combination of kinetic and equilibrium factors. In summary, the presence of boron produced only minor changes on the properties of the cobalt catalyst. In earlier studies, it was shown that the presence of boron made the catalyst less susceptible to poisoning by sulfur. Steady-state supercritical Fischer-Tropsch synthesis was studied in the work using a fixed-bed reactor and an unpromoted Co/SiO{sub 2} catalyst. This serves as the baseline for promoted catalyst studies. A pentane-hexane mixture was used as the supercritical solvent. Overall reactor pressure, syngas partial pressure and contact time were kept constant to obtain a valid comparison of the impact of solvent density in the catalytic activity and selectivity. Three different partial pressures of the mixture were chosen based on the density-pressure curve in order to investigate the pressure tuning effect to Fischer-Tropsch synthesis near critical region.

• Research Organization: Federal Energy Technology Center, Morgantown, WV (US); Federal Energy Technology Center, Pittsburgh, PA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: FC26-98FT40308
• OSTI ID: 775014
• Report Number(s): DE--FC26-98FT40308-04
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
BORON
CARBON MONOXIDE
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
COBALT
DEUTERIUM
FISCHER-TROPSCH SYNTHESIS
HYDROGENATION
IRON
ISOTOPE EFFECTS
METHANATION
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE