Efficient scale-up methodologies using multi-channel fixed-bed reactor for Fischer-Tropsch catalyst

Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) is getting more attraction as an alternative promising process to convert coal, natural gas, or biomass to environmentally benign fuels and useful chemicals with low emission of pollutants. In general, the reaction rate with a high exothermicity on FTS is accelerated by the hot-spot formation in catalyst-bed with a concomitant increase of byproduct formation, e.g., CH₄ and CO₂. An efficient scale-up study using a novel multi-channel fixed-bed reactor is investigated to minimize the hot-spot formation, which frequently happens during reactor scale-up with a concomitantly suppressed intrinsic catalytic activity due to the catalyst deactivation. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 241st ACS National Meeting & Exposition (Anaheim, CA 3/27-31/2011).