Structured catalyst bed and method for conversion of feed materials to chemical products and liquid fuels
The present invention is a structured monolith reactor and method that provides for controlled Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis. The invention controls mass transport limitations leading to higher CO conversion and lower methane selectivity. Over 95 wt % of the total product liquid hydrocarbons obtained from the monolithic catalyst are in the carbon range of C 5 -C 18 . The reactor controls readsorption of olefins leading to desired products with a preselected chain length distribution and enhanced overall reaction rate. And, liquid product analysis shows readsorption of olefins is reduced, achieving a narrower FT product distribution.
1. A modular catalyst reactor comprising:
a feed gas channel defining a feed gas inlet disposed between a cooling panel and a gas distributor, the gas distributor comprising a porous membrane with pores of a preselected size disposed adjacent a modular structured catalyst bed, the catalyst bed including at least one monolithic insert defining a reaction zone having a preselected density of open-ended channels therein, each channel including a wall comprising a syngas conversion catalyst of a selected thickness and pore structure, the gas distributor configured to distribute said feed gas into the reaction channels of the catalyst bed at a selected linear gas velocity in a direction orthogonal to the flow of feed gas entering the reactor that fields selected reaction products therein.
2. The catalyst reactor of claim 1 , wherein said monolithic inserts comprise an inert ceramic support with a coating of said catalyst thereon.
3. The catalyst reactor of claim 1 , wherein said catalyst is a component of the wall of the channel.
4. The catalyst reactor of claim 1 , wherein said catalyst is a Co—Re catalyst on alumina.
5. The catalyst reactor of claim 1 , wherein said catalyst bed includes two or more monolithic inserts.
6. The catalyst reactor of claim 1 , wherein each of said inserts includes at least one cooling panel operatively coupled to an external surface thereof that provides cooling of said surface.
7. The catalyst reactor of claim 1 , wherein said inserts include a porous membrane on one side or two sides thereof to distribute feed as into same or Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction products therefrom.
8. The catalyst reactor of claim 1 , wherein said preselected density is a density of from about 100 channels per square inch to about 2000 channels per square inch.
9. The catalyst reactor of claim 1 , wherein the reactor is configured to introduce feed gas into channels of the catalyst bed at a superficial gas linear velocity below about 0.2 cm/sec.
10. The catalyst reactor of claim 1 , wherein the gas distributor is a porous metal sheet.
11. The catalyst reactor of claim 1 , wherein the gas distributor provides a uniform flow of feed gas into the channels of the catalyst bed of the reactor.
12. The catalyst reactor of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst bed has a thickness between about 1 cm and about 20 cm or greater.
13. The catalyst reactor of claim 1 , wherein channels of the catalyst bed are oriented in a direction that provides gravity flow.
14. The catalyst reactor of claim 1 , further including a channel defining a reaction product outlet disposed between the modular catalyst bed and a cooling panel on a side of the reactor opposite the feed gas channel inlet that delivers reaction products out of the reactor.