Process and catalyst for production of mixed alcohols from synthesis gas
View Patent ↗At least one embodiment of the inventive technology focuses on a new composition that comprises hexagonally close packed molybdenum carbide crystals, in addition to metallic nickel crystals and/or sodium, and having use as a catalyst in a Fischer-Tropsch process to produce alcohol. At least one embodiment of a related aspect of the inventive technology is a Fischer-Tropsch reaction to produce alcohols from carbon monoxide and hydrogen using the aforementioned composition to catalyze reactions producing higher alcohols.
1. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas comprising the steps of:
establishing a catalyst comprising crystalline Mo 2 C and crystalline nickel in a reactor;
pressurizing said reactor;
passing said syngas over said catalyst;
heating said catalyst and said syngas; and
producing said alcohol.
2. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 1 wherein said step of establishing said catalyst in a reactor comprises the step of establishing crystalline Mo 2 C in a reactor such that a concentration of molybdenum on a catalyst surface in said reactor is from 5 to 50 atom percentage.
3. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 2 wherein said step of establishing said catalyst in a reactor comprises the step of establishing crystalline Mo 2 C in a reactor such that a concentration of molybdenum on said catalyst surface in said reactor is from 10 to 40 atom percentage.
4. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 3 wherein said step of establishing said catalyst in a reactor comprises the step of establishing crystalline Mo 2 C in a reactor such that a concentration of molybdenum on said catalyst surface in said reactor is from 20 to 30 atom percentage.
5. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 1 wherein said step of establishing said catalyst in a reactor comprises the step of establishing crystalline nickel in a reactor such that a concentration of nickel on a catalyst surface in said reactor is from 0.005 to 20 atom percentage.
6. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 5 wherein said step of establishing said catalyst in a reactor comprises the step of establishing crystalline nickel in a reactor such that a concentration of nickel on said catalyst surface in said reactor is from 0.01 to 12 atom percentage.
7. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 6 wherein said step of establishing said catalyst in a reactor comprises the step of establishing crystalline nickel in a reactor such that a concentration of nickel on said catalyst surface in said reactor is from 0.5 to 8.0 atom percentage.
8. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 1 further comprising the step of establishing sodium in said reactor.
9. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 8 wherein said step of establishing sodium in said reactor comprises the step of establishing sodium in said reactor such that a concentration of sodium on a catalyst surface in said reactor is 10 to 20 atom percentage.
10. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 1 wherein said step of establishing said catalyst in a reactor comprises the step of establishing crystalline Mo 2 C and crystalline nickel in a fixed bed reactor.
11. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 1 wherein said step of establishing said catalyst in a reactor comprises the step of establishing crystalline Mo 2 C and crystalline nickel in a slurry type reactor.
12. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 1 wherein said step of passing said syngas over said catalyst comprises the step of passing carbon monoxide and hydrogen over said catalyst.
13. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 1 wherein said step of producing said alcohol comprises the step of producing ethanol.
14. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 1 wherein said step of passing said syngas over said catalyst comprises the step of passing a syngas having a hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio of 0.1 to 10.
15. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 14 wherein said step of passing said syngas over said catalyst comprises the step of passing a syngas having a hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio of 0.5 to 5.0.
16. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 15 wherein said step of passing said syngas over said catalyst comprises the step of passing a syngas having a hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio of 0.75 to 2.5.
17. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 1 wherein said step of passing said syngas over said catalyst comprises the step of passing said syngas over said catalyst at a space velocity of 500 to 50,000 liters of syngas per hour per kg of crystalline Mo 2 C and crystalline nickel.
18. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 17 wherein said step of passing said syngas over said catalyst comprises the step of passing said syngas over said catalyst at a space velocity of 1000 to 25,000 liters of syngas per hour per kg of crystalline Mo 2 C and crystalline nickel.
19. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 18 wherein said step of passing said syngas over said catalyst comprises the step of passing said syngas over said catalyst at a space velocity of 2000 to 15,000 liters of syngas per hour per kg of crystalline Mo 2 C and crystalline nickel.
20. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 1 wherein said step of pressurizing said reactor comprises the step of pressurizing said reactor at from 100 to 10,000 psig.
21. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 20 wherein said step of pressurizing said reactor comprises the step of pressurizing said reactor at from 250 to 5000 psig.
22. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 21 wherein said step of pressurizing said reactor comprises the step of pressurizing said reactor at from 500 to 3000 psig.
23. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 1 wherein said step of heating comprises the step of heating said syngas to a temperature of 200 to 375 degrees Celsius.
24. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 23 wherein said step of heating comprises the step of heating said syngas to a temperature of 250 to 360 degrees Celsius.
25. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 24 wherein said step of heating comprises the step of heating said syngas to a temperature of 275 to 340 degrees Celsius.
26. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 1 wherein said crystalline nickel comprises metallic nickel.
27. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 1 wherein said crystalline nickel comprises zero valent nickel.
28. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 1 wherein said crystalline nickel comprises crystalline, metallic, zero-valent nickel.
29. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 1 further comprising the step of establishing sodium in said reactor.
30. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 1 further comprising the step of establishing a promoter in said reactor.
31. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 30 wherein said promoter comprises K 2 CO 3 .
32. A process for producing an alcohol from a syngas as described in claim 30 further comprising the step of establishing an inert spacer in said reactor.