Effect of in-situ sulfur poisoning on zinc-containing spinel-supported cobalt CO hydrogenation catalyst

Abstract

Literature about sulfur addition over AB2O4 spinel-supported cobalt CO hydrogenation catalysts is sparse. Research about the use of carbon disulfide as the sulfur carrier for the poisoning of cobalt catalysts is also sparse. In this study, effect of the addition of 0.1–1, 10, 100 and 300ppmv of sulfur (injected as carbon disulfide) on the structure and performance of a Co/ZnAl2O4·Al2O3 CO hydrogenation catalyst was characterized (by ICP, XRD, nitrogen sorption and FESEM) and evaluated in a fixed-bed reactor. The addition of 0.1–1ppmv of sulfur did not have a significant negative effect on the activity of Co/ZnAl2O4·Al2O3 catalyst. At S equivalent concentration of 100ppmv, the deactivation of Co/ZnAl2O4·Al2O3 catalyst was reversible to some extent. At identical S equivalent concentration of 100ppmv, the rate of S sorption by Co/ZnAl2O4·Al2O3 catalyst was 3.1 times higher than that by Co/γ-Al2O3 catalyst, making the former a potential catalyst (or sorbent) to be loaded at the top portion (or pre-catalytic bed) of a fixed-bed FT reactor to scavenge sulfur from syngas feedstock.