Fischer-Tropsch synthesis on iron catalyst promoted with HZSM-5 zeolite: Regeneration studies of catalyst

• Preparing iron – zeolite bifunctional catalyst by the physical admixing.
• Activity evaluation of shaped catalyst.
• Regeneration of bifunctional catalyst.
• Evaluation of two components (iron catalyst and zeolite) after regeneration.

A Fischer-Tropsch catalyst based on alkali-promoted iron physically mixed with binder and an acidic co-catalyst (HZSM-5) was prepared and studied for syngas conversion to hydrocarbons in a fixed bed micro reactor. Deactivation data were obtained during the synthesis over 1400 h synthesis. After 1400 h the catalyst was regenerated by 10%(v/v) O2/N2 gas mixture at 0.1 MPa and 573 K with space velocity of 14.1 nl h−1 g(Fe)−1. The performance of bifunctional catalyst before and after regeneration was investigated. The results showed that the catalyst activity was obviously different with the initial activity of the catalyst. Also, the results indicated that decoking of the zeolitic component was poor in contrast to the iron catalyst which was completely regenerated.