Chapter 7 - FT catalysts

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews that only the four group VIII metals, Fe, Co, Ni, and Ru have sufficiently high activities for the hydrogenation of carbon monoxide to warrant possible application in the fischer-tropsch (FT) synthesis. Of the four metals ruthenium is the most active, but its high cost and low availability rules it out for large scale application. Being a powerful hydrogenating catalyst it produces much more methane than Co or Fe catalysts. Nickel forms volatile carbonyls resulting in continuous loss of the metal at temperatures and pressures, at which practical FT plants operate. From the above, it is clear that only cobalt and iron based catalysts can be considered as practical FT catalysts. The chapter highlights that for the production of the high value linear alkenes, iron catalyst, operating at high temperatures in fluidized bed reactors remains the catalyst of choice. The LTFT iron catalyst may also find future applications for the conversion of coal-derived syngas.