Modelling of a fixed bed reactor for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of simulated N-2-rich syngas over Co/SiO2: Hydrocarbon production

摘要

A numerical pseudo-homogeneous one-dimensional mathematical model of a mini-scale laboratory fixed bed reactor for Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis was developed. FT synthesis was modelled for simulated N-2-rich syngas (17%Vol CO, 33%Vol H-2, and 50%Vol N-2) on a cobalt-silica (i.e. Co/SiO2) catalyst/support. The performance of the reactor model for gas/liquid fuel production was studied at different operating conditions i.e. temperature of 503-543 K, pressure of 10-25 bar and gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of 1800-3600 Nml g(cat)(1)h (1). An algorithm was written in order to calculate the conservation of species, pressure drop, reaction rate equations and physicochemical and thermodynamic properties' relationships along the axial dimension i.e. in the flow direction. The program code was executed in a MATLAB environment to describe the profiles of concentration of each individual component in the gas phase along the reactor. The model was capable of predicting the selectivity of different product species and conversion of CO and H-2 in the flow direction.