Novel single pass biogas-to-diesel process using a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst designed for high conversion

The decentralized production of low carbon fuels using the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis requires a less complex and more cost-effective process design. This can be achieved by operating the Fischer-Tropsch process in single pass mode (i.e., without recycle), which allows for omission of the air separation unit, CO2 removal step and the energy-intensive recompression. However, single pass mode necessitates operating the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis at a higher CO conversions than typically seen in industry (resulting in high H2O and low CO and H2 partial pressures). These harsh conditions cause a significant decrease in the C5+ yield as a consequence of the increase in the selectivity for the formation of CH4 and CO2. Modification of an industrial Pt-Co/Al2O3 catalyst with manganese resulted in increased fuel production of up to 14 C-% under high conversion conditions. Here, we present a technical analysis of a novel single pass biogas-to-diesel process, focusing on counteracting the loss of yield under single pass operation by adjusting the Fischer-Tropsch conversion (XCO = 60 – 90%), catalyst characteristics (Pt-Co/Al2O3 vs Mn-Pt-Co/Al2O3) and refining configuration (with and without a hydrocracker). The optimal case, XCO = 80% using a Mn-Co/Al2O3 catalyst results in a production rate of 246 bbl/day of on-spec diesel from 400 kmol/hr biogas together with the net power generation of 1.8 MW

Catalytic Behaviour of Mesoporous Cobalt-Aluminum Oxides for CO Oxidation

Ordered mesoporous materials are promising catalyst supports due to their uniform pore size distribution, high specific surface area and pore volume, tunable pore sizes, and long-range ordering of the pore packing. The evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) process was applied to synthesize mesoporous mixed oxides, which consist of cobalt ions highly dispersed in an alumina matrix. The characterization of the mesoporous mixed cobalt-aluminum oxides with cobalt loadings in the range from 5 to 15 wt% and calcination temperatures of 673, 973, and 1073 K indicates that Co2+ is homogeneously distributed in the mesoporous alumina matrix. As a function of the Co loading, different phases are present comprising poorly crystalline alumina and mixed cobalt aluminum oxides of the spinel type. The mixed cobalt-aluminum oxides were applied as catalysts in CO oxidation and turned out to be highly active.Fil: Bordoloi, Ankur. Indian Institute of Petroleum; IndiaFil: Sanchez, Miguel Dario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Física del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Física. Instituto de Física del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Noei, Heshmat. Research Group X-Ray Physics and Nanoscience Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron; AlemaniaFil: Kaluza, Stefan. Fraunhofer Institute of Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology; AlemaniaFil: Großmann, Dennis. Ruhr Universität Bochum; AlemaniaFil: Wang, Yuemin. Ruhr Universität Bochum; AlemaniaFil: Grünert, Wolfgang. Ruhr Universität Bochum; AlemaniaFil: Muhler, Martin. Ruhr Universität Bochum; Alemani

Insights into promoter-enhanced aqueous phase CO hydrogenation over Co@TiO2 mesoporous nanocomposites

The particle sizes and metal support interactions play a pivotal role in Fischer Tropsch synthesis. Herein, promoter-embedded Co/TiO2 mesoporous nanocomposites with a high surface area were synthesized through a templated assisted solvothermal method comprising highly dispersed spherical shaped Co nanoparticles on titania nanoparticles of less than 10 nm. Moreover, Fischer Tropsch synthesis in aqueous media, rather than wax-slurry, is a new and relatively attractive approach to improve product selectivity and catalyst isolation. The Aqueous phase Fischer-Tropsch (AFTS) is a unified catalytic process to improve CO conversion and enhance selectivity towards higher hydrocarbon (C5+) at low temperatures. The performance under aqueous phase CO hydrogenation was investigated with varying cobalt, platinum, and manganese promoter concentrations to obtain an optimized catalyst recipe for AFTS. The metal support interaction has been studied with the help of temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) couple with XPS and HRTEM analysis. Moreover, the dispersibility of the active species was demonstrated through H2 chemisorption coupled with pulse reoxidation experiments. The CO-TPD and STEM analysis have been performed to understand the role of manganese during the reaction. The reaction parameters have been optimized thoroughly by varying temperature and pressure conditions. The catalyst with the optimized recipe (3 M0.5P25C) and parameters performed the exceptional CO conversion at a rate of 1.75 molCO.molCo−1.h−1 (excluding CO2) with 73% selectivity towards C5+ hydrocarbons with less than 5% methane. Additionally, despite the aqueous phase, CO conversion rates for 3M1P25C were kinetically modeled well by standard Fischer-Tropsch empirical rate expressions, with little H2O term dependence

Synthesis of Porous Vanadia-Titania Catalyst for Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Propane

A novel synthesis procedure has been applied for the synthesis of mesoporous vanadia-titania catalysts with varying vanadium content in the presence of P123 triblock copolymer as a structure directing agent. The synthesized mesoporous materials exhibited large pore diameter (∼9 nm) and high surface area (120–180 m2/g). Only anatase phase of titania was present in all the samples. Detailed characterization studies suggest the presence of molecularly dispersed reducible surface vanadium oxide species. XPS and 51V NMR results indicate that vanadium species on titania exist primarily in the oxidation state of V5+ and in V2O5 coordination with a form of distorted octahedral. The resulting mesoporous vanadia-titania catalysts are active in the oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of propane

Lagrangian Time Scale of Passive Rotation for Mesoscale Particles in Turbulence

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