SUPERCRITICAL PHASE FISCHER-TROPSCH SYNTHESIS

Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction was conducted in a supercritical fluid medium using a fixed bed reactor. Although the rate of the reaction and the diffusion of reactants were slightly lower than those in the gas phase reaction, the removal of reaction heat and waxy products from the catalyst surface were much more effective than those in the gas phase reaction. The olefin content of the product hydrocarbon was much higher in the supercritical phase reaction than in the liquid phase reaction or in the gas phase reaction. This was attributed to the shortest apparent residence time of the product in the catalyst bed for the supercritical phase, which was caused by the well-balanced desorption and diffusion of products. © 1990.