Cobalt catalyst coated metallic foam and heat-exchanger type reactor for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis

• Cobalt catalyst coated metallic foam and heat-exchanger type reactor were developed for FTS.
• The ideal reactor concept for FTS reaction at high temperature was demonstrated.
• The system effectively prevented the formation of CH4 at high temperature.
• The system accelerated the kinetics of the hydrocarbon formation reactions.
• The diffusional restrictions of the C5 + products in the catalyst pores were reduced.

A system consisting of a cobalt catalyst coated metallic foam and heat-exchanger type reactor was developed with the consideration of the severe heat and mass transfer limitations in the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis reaction. The system showed highly desirable results not only in terms of its low CH4 and CO2 selectivities, but also its high C5 + productivity, because of its enhanced heat and mass transfer properties in the reaction. The effects of the synthesis gas flow rate and reaction temperature on the CO conversion and C5 + productivity were also investigated. The CO conversion decreased, but the C5 + selectivity increased, with increasing synthesis gas flow rate, because the former was strongly affected by the reaction contact time and the latter was deeply related to the superficial velocity of the synthesis gas in the reactor. Furthermore, this system effectively prevented the formation of CH4, even at high temperature, and reduced the diffusional restrictions of the hydrocarbons produced in the catalyst pores with the temperature. The system of cobalt catalyst coated metallic foam and heat-exchanger type reactor resulted in a high C5 + productivity of 141.4 ml/kgcat h at the high reaction temperature of 231 °C.

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