Synthesis Gas Conversion Over Molybdenum-Based Catalysts Promoted by Transition Metals
Abstract not provided
Zhang, Lifeng↗
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Design and Synthesis of Copper-Cobalt Catalysts for the Selective Conversion of Synthesis Gas to Ethanol and Higher Alcohols
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catalysis (heterogeneous), hydrogen and fuel cells↗
Impact of Contaminants Present in Coal-Biomass Derived Synthesis Gas on Water-gas Shift and Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis Catalysts
Co-gasification of biomass and coal in large-scale, Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plants increases the efficiency and reduces the environmental impact of making synthesis gas ("syngas") that can be used in Coal-Biomass-to-Liquids (CBTL) processes for producing transportation fuels. However, the water-gas shift (WGS) and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) catalysts used in these processes may be poisoned by multiple contaminants found in coal-biomass derived syngas; sulfur species, trace toxic metals, halides, nitrogen species, the vapors of alkali metals and their salts (e.g., KCl and NaCl), ammonia, and phosphorous. Thus, it is essential to develop a fundamental understanding of poisoning/inhibition mechanisms before investing in the development of any costly mitigation technologies. We therefore investigated the impact of potential contaminants (H 2 S, NH 3 , HCN, AsH 3 , PH 3 , HCl, NaCl, KCl, AS 3 , NH 4 NO 3 , NH 4 OH, KNO 3 , HBr, HF, and HNO 3 ) on the performance and lifetime of commercially available and generic (prepared in-house) WGS and FT catalysts.
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
Catalytic Production of Ethanol from Biomass-Derived Synthesis Gas
Heterogeneous catalysts have been developed for the conversion of biomass-derived synthetic gas (syngas) to ethanol. The objectives of this project were to develop a clean synthesis gas from biomass and develop robust catalysts with high selectivity and lifetime for C 2 oxygenate production from biomass-derived syngas and surrogate syngas. During the timeframe for this project, we have made research progress on the four tasks: (1) Produce clean bio-oil generated from biomass, such as corn stover or switchgrass, by using fast pyrolysis system, (2) Produce clean, high pressure synthetic gas (syngas: carbon monoxide, CO, and hydrogen, H 2 ) from bio-oil generated from biomass by gasification, (3) Develop and characterize mesoporous mixed oxide-supported metal catalysts for the selective production of ethanol and other alcohols, such as butanol, from synthesis gas, and (4) Design and build a laboratory scale synthesis gas to ethanol reactor system evaluation of the process. In this final report, detailed explanations of the research challenges associated with this project are given. Progress of the syngas production from various biomass feedstocks and catalyst synthesis for upgrading the syngas to C 2 -oxygenates is included. Reaction properties of the catalyst systems under different reaction conditions and different reactor set-ups are also presented and discussed. Specifically, the development and application of mesoporous silica and mesoporous carbon supports with rhodium nanoparticle catalysts and rhodium nanoparticle with manganese catalysts are described along with the significant material characterizations we completed. In addition to the synthesis and characterization, we described the activity and selectivity of catalysts in our micro-tubular reactor (small scale) and fixed bed reactor (larger scale). After years of hard work, we are proud of the work done on this project, and do believe that this work will provide a solid foundation for the future production of syngas from biomass and the development of heterogeneous catalysts for the syngas to C 2 -oxygenate process and for the commercialization of this process. Potential future directions for this research are also discussed within the report.
09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
Method for forming synthesis gas using a plasma-catalyzed fuel reformer
A method of forming a synthesis gas utilizing a reformer is disclosed. The method utilizes a reformer that includes a plasma zone to receive a pre-heated mixture of reactants and ionize the reactants by applying an electrical potential thereto. A first thermally conductive surface surrounds the plasma zone and is configured to transfer heat from an external heat source into the plasma zone. The reformer further includes a reaction zone to chemically transform the ionized reactants into synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide. A second thermally conductive surface surrounds the reaction zone and is configured to transfer heat from the external heat source into the reaction zone. The first thermally conductive surface and second thermally conductive surface are both directly exposed to the external heat source. A corresponding apparatus and system are also disclosed herein.
03 NATURAL GAS↗
Interaction of iron-copper mixed metal oxide oxygen carriers with simulated synthesis gas derived from steam gasification of coal
The objective of this work was to prepare supported bimetallic Fe–Cu oxygen carriers and to evaluate their performance for the chemical-looping combustion (CLC) process with simulated synthesis gas derived from steam gasification of coal/air. Ten-cycle CLC tests were conducted with Fe–Cu oxygen carriers in an atmospheric thermogravimetric analyzer utilizing simulated synthesis gas derived from the steam gasification of Polish Janina coal and Illinois #6 coal as fuel. The effect of temperature on reaction rates, chemical stability, and oxygen transport capacity were determined. Fractional reduction, fractional oxidation, and global rates of reactions were calculated from the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) data. The supports greatly affected reaction performance. Data showed that reaction rates and oxygen capacities were stable during the 10-cycle TGA tests for most Fe–Cu/support oxygen carriers. Bimetallic Fe–Cu/support oxygen carriers showed higher reduction rates than Fe-support oxygen carriers. The carriers containing higher Cu content showed better stabilities and better reduction rates. An increase in temperature from 800 °C to 900 °C did not have a significant effect on either the oxygen capacity or the reduction rates with synthesis gas derived from Janina coal. Oxidation reaction was significantly faster than reduction reaction for all supported Fe–Cu oxygen carriers. Carriers with higher Cu content had lower oxidation rates. Ten-cycle TGA data indicated that these oxygen carriers had stable performances at 800–900 °C and might be successfully used up to 900 °C for coal CLC reaction in the presence of steam.
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
Oxygen transport membrane based advanced power cycle with low pressure synthesis gas slip stream
A method and system for generating electrical power in which a high pressure synthesis gas stream generated in a gasifier is partially oxidized in an oxygen transport membrane based reactor, expanded and thereafter, is combusted in an oxygen transport membrane based boiler. A low pressure synthesis gas slip stream is split off downstream of the expanders and used as the source of fuel in the oxygen transport membrane based partial oxidation reactors to allow the oxygen transport membrane to operate at low fuel pressures with high fuel utilization. The combustion within the boiler generates heat to raise steam to in turn generate electricity by a generator coupled to a steam turbine. The resultant flue gas can be purified to produce a carbon dioxide product.
42 ENGINEERING↗
Ion transport membrane reactor systems and methods for producing synthesis gas
Embodiments of the present invention provide cost-effective systems and methods for producing a synthesis gas product using a steam reformer system and an ion transport membrane (ITM) reactor having multiple stages, without requiring inter-stage reactant injections. Embodiments of the present invention also provide techniques for compensating for membrane performance degradation and other changes in system operating conditions that negatively affect synthesis gas production.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Synthesis Gas Conversion over Rh/Mo Catalysts Prepared by Atomic Layer Deposition
Conversion of synthesis gas into value-added products, including oxygenates and C 2+ hydrocarbons, was studied at 523 K, 580 psi, and a 1/1 CO/H 2 ratio over Rh catalysts on catalyst supports prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD) of molybdenum and tungsten species on silica. The reactivity measurements showed that coating the silica support with molybdenum and tungsten species helped to suppress the methane selectivity and promote the overall conversion rate. When the silica support was coated with five cycles of β-Mo 2 C, the methane selectivity decreased from 32% (1% Rh/SiO 2 ) to 13% (1% Rh/5c-Mo 2 C/SiO 2 ), and the overall product rate increased 33 times from 0.4 to 12.7 mmol min –1 (g of Rh) –1 . CO-FTIR results showed that supporting Rh on silica led to the formation of Rh(211) facets, which favored the formation of methane and had a higher CO conversion rate. Rh on a MoO 3 /SiO 2 support prepared by ALD was found to be the most active catalyst while maintaining the suppression of methane selectivity, showing an overall rate ~60 times higher than that of 1% Rh/SiO 2 . A reaction pathway is proposed, in which hydrogenation steps are promoted most significantly by Mo and W species, followed by promotion of CO insertion steps for ethanol synthesis and C–C coupling steps for hydrocarbon formation. CO-FTIR results showed that 1% Rh/MoO 3 /SiO 2 has the highest proportion of gem-dicarbonyl adsorption sites and the lowest proportion of bridge-bonded CO adsorption sites. As a result, the rate of methanol formation shows a positive correlation with the number of sites that form gem-dicarbonyl species.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Partial Oxidation of Methane to Synthesis Gas Using Supported Ga-Containing Bimetallic Catalysts and a Ti-Promoter
A series of bimetallic Ga-containing materials using TiO 2 and TiO 2 -promoted SiO 2 supports have been prepared. Rhodium, palladium, and platinum have been used as additional metals in this system. The materials are characterized and used as catalysts for the partial oxidation of methane into synthesis gas (H 2 and CO). The presence of a low quantity of titanium in the form of anatase TiO 2 was shown to improve the overall activity of catalytic methane oxidation and to strongly increase the selectivity of partial oxidation products over the total oxidation of methane to carbon dioxide and water. Here, particular attention is paid to the formation of gallium-metal alloys on the surface of the catalyst supports. Rh-Ga-Ti-SiO 2 was found to be the most active and selective catalyst, giving 89 % conversion of methane and 99 % selectivity to synthesis gas at 750 °C, as well as exhibiting catalytic activity and preferential conversion to partial oxidation products at temperatures as low as 350 °C.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Temperature-induced changes in the synthesis gas composition in a high-temperature H 2 O and CO 2 co-electrolysis system
Solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) is an attractive renewable technology capable of producing synthesis gas (H 2 + CO) from H 2 O and CO 2 . An SOEC consists of a solid oxide electrolyte and two ceramic or metal-ceramic electrodes. H 2 O and CO 2 are electrolyzed at the cathode producing H 2 and CO, releasing O 2- ions, which travel through the electrolyte to the anode side and recombine to produce pure oxygen gas as the byproduct. In the present study, a La 0.7 Sr 0.2 Ni 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3 cathode was used to co-electrolyze H 2 O and CO 2 at three different operating temperatures- 700 °C, 750 °C and 800 °C. Synthesis gas was produced at all three operating temperatures with 100% Faradaic efficiency. The composition of the syngas, however, was found to be a function of the operating temperature. In general, the H 2 /CO ratio in the syngas decreased with increased temperature. This was partially due to CO 2 electrolysis becoming more favorable compared to H 2 O electrolysis at higher temperatures.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Conversion of Mixed Oxygenates Generated from Synthesis Gas to Fuel Range Hydrocarbon
The growing dependence in the U.S. on foreign crude oil supplies and increased concerns regarding greenhouse gas emission has generated considerable interest in research to develop renewable and environmentally friendly liquid hydrocarbon transportation fuels. One of the strategies for achieving this is to produce intermediate compounds such as alcohols and other simple oxygenates from biomass generated synthesis gas (mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen) and further convert them into liquid hydrocarbons. The focus of this research is to investigate the effects of mixed oxygenates intermediate product compositions on the conversion step to produce hydrocarbon liquids. A typical mixed oxygenate stream is expected to contain water (around 50%), alcohols, such as methanol and ethanol (around 35%), and smaller quantities of oxygenates such as acetaldehyde, acetic acid and ethyl acetate. However the ratio and the composition of the mixed oxygenate stream generated from synthesis gas vary significantly depending on the catalyst used and the process conditions. Zeolite catalyzed deoxygenation of methanol accompanied by chain growth is well understood under Methanol-to-Gasoline (MTG) like reaction conditions using an H-ZSM-5 zeolite as the catalyst6-8. Research has also been conducted to a limited extent in the past with higher alcohols, but not with other oxygenates present9-11. Also there has been little experimental investigation into mixtures containing substantial amounts of water. The latter is of particular interest because water separation from the hydrocarbon product would be less energy intensive than first removing it from the oxygenate intermediate stream prior to hydrocarbon synthesis, potentially reducing overall processing costs.
Ramasamy, Karthikeyan K.↗
Synthesis of Isobutene and Isobutane from Synthesis Gas. A Literature Review Since 1992
The isosynthesis reaction is commonly referred as the reaction that converts selectively synthesis gas to isobutene and isobutane. The main feature of this reaction is the production of branched hydrocarbons in higher proportion with respect to linear hydrocarbons than expected from thermodynamic equilibrium and with a molecular weight distribution favoring iso-C4 hydrocarbons. This article reviews and summarizes isosynthesis research results reported in the open scientific literature with emphasis on the articles published in the last two decades.
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS↗
Synthesis gas method and apparatus
A method and apparatus for producing a synthesis gas product having one or more oxygen transport membrane elements thermally coupled to one or more catalytic reactors such that heat generated from the oxygen transport membrane element supplies endothermic heating requirements for steam methane reforming reactions occurring within the catalytic reactor through radiation and convention heat transfer. A hydrogen containing stream containing no more than 20 percent methane is combusted within the oxygen transport membrane element to produce the heat and a heated combustion product stream. The heated combustion product stream is combined with a reactant stream to form a combined stream that is subjected to the reforming within the catalytic reactor. The apparatus may include modules in which tubular membrane elements surround a central reactor tube.
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
Synthesis gas method and apparatus
A method and apparatus for producing a synthesis gas product having one or more oxygen transport membrane elements thermally coupled to one or more catalytic reactors such that heat generated from the oxygen transport membrane element supplies endothermic heating requirements for steam methane reforming reactions occurring within the catalytic reactor through radiation and convention heat transfer. A hydrogen containing stream containing no more than 20 percent methane is combusted within the oxygen transport membrane element to produce the heat and a heated combustion product stream. The heated combustion product stream is combined with a reactant stream to form a combined stream that is subjected to the reforming within the catalytic reactor. The apparatus may include modules in which tubular membrane elements surround a central reactor tube.
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS↗
Synthesis Gas Conversion over Rh-Mn-W x C/SiO 2 Catalysts Prepared by Atomic Layer Deposition
The catalytic conversion of synthesis gas to value-added oxygenates and light hydrocarbons was studied here on Rh and Rh–Mn clusters on tungsten carbide-overcoated silica (W x C/SiO 2 ) at 523 K, 580 psi, and CO/H 2 = 1/1. The W x C-modified SiO 2 support was prepared by the overcoating of WO x on SiO 2 using atomic layer deposition (ALD) followed by carburization. The reactivities of Rh/W x C/SiO 2 catalysts with varying number of ALD cycles (number of cycles = 2, 5, 10, 20, and 30) were measured and showed that 5 ALD cycles of WxC suppressed the formation of methane. All W x C-modified catalysts showed enhancement in selectivity toward methanol and ethanol through CO hydrogenation and acetaldehyde hydrogenation, respectively. These catalysts also improved the overall turnover frequency (TOF). The addition of Mn species further promoted the activity and the selectivity toward ethanol and C 2+ hydrocarbons, especially light alkenes. The best performing Rh-2Mn/5cycle-W x C/SiO 2 catalyst (Rh:Mn molar ratio = 1:2) achieved 84.7% selectivity toward valuable oxygenates and C 2+ hydrocarbons with a ratio of alkenes to alkanes equal to 1.7, compared to Rh/SiO 2 which exhibited 80.4% selectivity toward the products aforementioned with a ratio of 0.5. The overall TOF was 20 times higher than that over Rh/SiO 2 (i.e., 5.6 × 10 –2 s –1 vs 2.9 × 10 –3 s –1 ). X-ray diffraction revealed that the existence of W 2 C, which was the dominant phase in Rh/5cycle-W x C/SiO 2 , favored the suppression of methane and enhanced the production of alcohols and C 2+ hydrocarbons compared to the WC support. Density functional theory calculations for Rh 19 , Rh 31 , and Rh 37 clusters on various WC surfaces suggested that the shape of Rh clusters is condition dependent and subject to H 2 pressure. The C- and O- binding energies on various sites for the clusters were used with scaling relations to probe their catalytic activity. With the use of this approach, the increase in the O binding energy when moving from the SiO 2 -supported Rh 37 cluster to the WC-supported cluster leads to an increase in the activity of Rh/W x C/SiO 2 at the expense of the reduction in the number of sites that are selective toward C 2 oxygenates.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Synthesis Gas Conversion over Rh-Based Catalysts Promoted by Fe and Mn
Rh/SiO2 catalysts promoted with Fe and Mn are selective for synthesis gas conversion to oxygenates and light hydrocarbons at 523 K and 580 psi. Selective anchoring of Fe and Mn species on Rh nanoparticles was achieved by controlled surface reactions and was evidenced by ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and inductively coupled plasma absorption emission spectroscopy. The interaction between Rh and Fe promotes the selective production of ethanol through hydrogenation of acetaldehyde and enhances the selectivity toward C2 oxygenates, which include ethanol and acetaldehyde. The interaction between Rh and Mn increases the overall reaction rate and the selectivity toward C2+ hydrocarbons. The combination of Fe and Mn on Rh/SiO2 results in trimetallic Rh-Fe-Mn catalysts that surpass the performance of their bimetallic counterparts. The highest selectivities toward ethanol (36.9%) and C2 oxygenates (39.6%) were achieved over the Rh-Fe-Mn ternary system with a molar ratio of 1:0.15:0.10, as opposed to the selectivities obtained over Rh/SiO2, which were 3.5% and 20.4%, respectively. The production of value-added oxygenates and C2+ hydrocarbons over this trimetallic catalyst accounted for 55% of the total products. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements suggest that significant fractions of the Fe and Mn species exist as metallic iron and manganese oxides on the Rh surface upon reduction. These findings are rationalized by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which reveal that the exact state of metals on the surfaces is condition-dependent, with Mn present as Mn(I) and Mn(II) oxide on the Rh (211) step edges and Fe present as Fe(I) oxide on the step edge and metallic subsurface iron on both Rh steps and terraces. CO Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and DFT calculations suggest that the binding of CO to Rh (211) step edges modified by Fe and/or manganese oxide is altered in comparison to CO adsorption on a clean Rh (211) surface. These results suggest that Mn2Ox species and Fe and Fe2O modify bonding at Rh step edges and shift reaction selectivity away from CH4.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Solar Thermal Conversion of Biomass to Synthesis Gas (CRADA Final Report)
The CRADA is established to facilitate the development of solar thermal technology to efficiently and economically convert biomass into useful products (synthesis gas and derivatives) that can replace fossil fuels. NREL's High Flux Solar Furnace will be utilized to validate system modeling, evaluate candidate reactor materials, conduct on-sun testing of the process, and assist in the development of solar process control system. This work is part of a DOE-USDA 3-year, $1M grant.
09 BIOMASS FUELS↗