Slurry reactor design studies. Slurry vs. fixed-bed reactors for Fischer-Tropsch and methanol: Final report

摘要

The objective of these studies was to perform a realistic evaluation of the relative costs of tublar-fixed-bed and slurry reactors for methanol, mixed alcohols and Fischer-Tropsch syntheses under conditions where they would realistically be expected to operate. The slurry Fischer-Tropsch reactor was, therefore, operated at low H(sub 2)/CO ratio on gas directly from a Shell gasifier. The fixed-bed reactor was operated on 2.0 H(sub 2)/CO ratio gas after adjustment by shift and CO(sub 2) removal. Every attempt was made to give each reactor the benefit of its optimum design condition and correlations were developed to extend the models beyond the range of the experimental pilot plant data. For the methanol design, comparisons were made for a recycle plant with high methanol yield, this being the standard design condition. It is recognized that this is not necessarily the optimum application for the slurry reactor, which is being proposed for a once-through operation, coproducing methanol and power. Consideration is also given to the applicability of the slurry reactor to mixed alcohols, based on conditions provided by Lurgi for an Octamix(trademark) plant using their standard tubular-fixed reactor technology. 7 figs., 26 tabs.