Bridging the gap between industry and synchrotron: an operando study at 30 bar over 300 h during Fischer-Tropsch synthesisWe design new infrastructure for operando high-pressure synchrotron experiments. High structural stability of a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst was found during a long-term study under industrial conditions while producing synthetic fuels.In order to reduce CO 2 emissions, it is necessary to substitute fossil fuels with renewable energy using CO 2 as a carbon feedstock. An attractive route for synthetic fuel production is the Fe-or Co-catalysed Fischer-Tropsch process. A profound knowledge of the catalyst deactivation phenomena under industrial conditions is crucial for the process optimisation. In this study, we followed the structural changes of a Co-Ni-Re/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst for >300 hours at 30 bar and 250°C during the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis operando at a synchrotron radiation facility. The advanced setup built for operando X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy allows simultaneous and robust monitoring of the catalytic activity even over 300 h time on stream. We found three activity regimes for the Co-Ni-Re/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst during 310 h of operation. Fast decline in activity was observed during the initiation phase in the first hours of operation due to liquid film formation (mass transport limitations). Furthermore, solid state reactions and carbon depositions were found while continuing the exposure of the catalyst to harsh temperature conditions of 250°C. By using this advanced setup, we bridged the gap between industrially oriented catalysts and fundamental studies at synchrotron radiation facilities, opening up new possibilities for operando characterisation of industrial processes that rely on conditions of up to 450°C and 50 bar.
Society is facing serious challenges to reduce CO2 emissions. Effective change requires the use of advanced chemical catalyst and reactor systems to utilize renewable feedstocks. One pathway to long-term energy storage is its transformation into high quality, low-emission and CO2-neutral fuels. Performance of technologies such as the Fischer-Tropsch reaction can be maximized using the inherent advantages of microstructured packed bed reactors. Advantages arise not only from high conversion and productivity, but from its capability to resolve the natural fluctuation of renewable sources. This work highlights and evaluates a system for dynamic feed gas and temperature changes in a pilot scale Fischer-Tropsch synthesis unit for up to 7 L of product per day. Dead times were determined for non-reactive and reactive mode at individual positions in the setup. Oscillating conditions were applied to investigate responses with regard to gaseous and liquid products. The system was stable at short cycle times of 8 min. Neither of the periodic changes showed negative effects on the process performance. Findings even suggest this technology’s capability for effective, small-to-medium-scale applications with periodically changing process parameters. The second part of this work focuses on the application of a real-time photovoltaics profile to the given system.
Current projects focusing on the energy transition in traffic will rely on a high‐level technology mix for their commissioning. One of those technologies is the Fischer‐Tropsch synthesis (FTS) that converts synthesis gas into hydrocarbons of different chain lengths. A microstructured packed‐bed reactor for low‐temperature FTS is tested towards its versatility for biomass‐based syngas with a high inert gas dilution. Investigations include overall productivity, conversion, and product selectivity. A 60‐times larger pilot‐scale reactor is further tested. Evaporation cooling is introduced which allows to increase the available energy extraction from the system. From that scale on, an autothermal operation at elevated conversion levels is applicable.
Angesichts ausbleibender Erfolge bei der Reduktion der CO2‐Emission im Verkehr treten zunehmend auch synthetische Kraftstoffe aus CO2 und erneuerbarer elektrischer Energie in den Fokus. Für diesen sog. Power‐to‐Liquid(PtL)‐Ansatz werden neben konventionellen Technologien für Großanlagen auch intensivierte Technologien für dezentrale Anlagen in Betracht gezogen. Der Beitrag gibt einen Überblick über den Entwicklungsstand und die Perspektiven kompakter Anlagen für dezentrale PtL‐Verfahren auf Basis der Fischer‐Tropsch‐Synthese.
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