ABSTRACT
A model catalyst, 40%Co-1%Re/γ-Al2O3, has been used to study the effect of operation temperature and pressure on selectivity and stability during Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in a microchannel reactor. The reactor was tested at 210°C-240°C, 20-40 bar, and H2/CO = 2.1. The microchannel reactor could be operated at 85%–90% conversion with high C5+ selectivity. It was found that lower temperature favors higher hydrocarbon formation and reduces methane formation. Higher pressure in the range of 20-40 bar and 210°C did not change the methane selectivity, but the C2-C4 selectivity increased and the C5+ selectivity decreased. The product selectivity is a complex function of process conditions, and different parameters may be dominant at different process conditions. At similar conditions, the observed rate of deactivation seems to be lower in the microchannel reactor than what is usually observed in the fixed-bed reactor experiments.
