Jump to main content
US EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Search
Search
Main menu
Environmental Topics
Laws & Regulations
About EPA
Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)
Contact Us
Print
Feedback
Export to File
Search:
This record has one attached file:
Add More Files
Attach File(s):
Display Name for File*:
Save
Citation
Tags
HERO ID
1184013
Reference Type
Journal Article
Title
A kinetic model for the synthesis of high-molecular weight alcohols over a sulfided Co-K-Mo/C catalyst
Author(s)
Gunturu, AK; Kugler, EL; Cropley, JB; Dadyburjor, DB
Year
1998
Is Peer Reviewed?
Yes
Journal
Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research
ISSN:
0888-5885
EISSN:
1520-5045
Volume
37
Issue
6
Page Numbers
2107-2115
DOI
10.1021/ie970391z
Web of Science Id
WOS:000074075600009
Abstract
A statistically designed set of experiments was run in a recycle reactor to evaluate the kinetics of the formation of higher-molecular-weight alcohols (higher alcohols) and total hydrocarbon byproducts from synthesis gas (hydrogen and carbon monoxide) in a range of experimental conditions that mirrors the limits of commercial production. The alkali-promoted, C-supported Co-Mo sulfide catalyst that was employed in this study is well known for its sulfur resistance. The reaction was carried out in a gradientless Berty-type recycle reactor. A two-level fractional-factorial set consisting of 16 experiments was performed. Five independent variables were selected for this study, namely, temperature, partial pressure of carbon monoxide, partial pressure of hydrogen, partial pressure of inerts, and methanol concentration in the feed. The major oxygenated products were linear alcohols up to n-butanol, but alcohols of higher carbon number were also detected, and analysis of the liquid product revealed the presence of trace amounts of ethers also. Yields of hydrocarbons were non-negligible. The alcohol product followed an Anderson-Schultz-Flory distribution. From the results of the factorial experiments, a preliminary power-law model was developed, and the statistically significant variables in the rate expression for the production of each alcohol were found. Based on the results of the power-law models, rate expressions of the Langmuir-Hinshelwood type were fitted. The observed kinetics are consistent with the rate-limiting step for the production of each higher alcohol being a surface reaction of the alcohol of next-lower carbon number. All other steps, including CO-insertion, H-2-cleavage, and hydrogenation steps, do not appear to affect the rate correlations.
Tags
IRIS
•
Methanol (Non-Cancer)
Search 2012
WOS
Home
Learn about HERO
Using HERO
Search HERO
Projects in HERO
Risk Assessment
Transparency & Integrity