Laboratory and pilot plant fixed-bed reactors for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis: Mathematical modeling and experimental investigation

• Reactors for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis are studied in laboratory and pilot plant.
• A two-dimensional mathematical model for fixed-bed reactor is proposed.
• The validity of the model is tested over a wide range of operating conditions.
• The effects of major process parameters on the reactor performance are revealed.

The present work describes the development of a comprehensive two-dimensional heterogeneous model of a fixed-bed reactor for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis. The chemical kinetics for cobalt-based catalysts is modeled on the basis of the LHHW approach. The intraparticle transport model takes into account the fact that the catalyst pores are filled with liquid hydrocarbons and water due to capillary condensation under realistic conditions. The validity of the reactor model is tested against the experimental data from laboratory and pilot plant fixed-bed reactors over a wide range of operating conditions. Detailed numerical simulations are performed to investigate the effect of major process parameters on the reactor performance.