HYDROGENATION OF CARBONACEOUS ADSORBED SPECIES ON AN IRON ALUMINA CATALYST .1. EXPERIMENTS IN ISOTHERMAL CONDITIONS AND EXPLOITATION BY A KINETIC-MODEL

A kinetic model is proposed to interpret the data obtained during the isothermal conversion (into CH4) of adsorbed species formed during the CO/H2 reaction on a supported iron/alumina catalyst. The model, based on a sequential hydrogenation of CHx species, reproduces the experimental observations and reveals parameters influencing the rate of formation of CH4 such as surface hydrogen concentration, temperature effect, number of steps involved in the process, and activation energy of the reaction. The model allows for the determination of the activation energy of the hydrogenation of adsorbed species. © 1990.