Hi All, Within the last few months, I have built 2.5 meter reactor column suitable for Fischer Tropsch (FT) and even methanol reactions. I am now experimenting with making FT catalysts and running them in controlled conditions. Currently, I am running them under a calibrated gas stream of 20% CO, 20% H2 balanced with N2. This initial set of experiments in controlled conditions are meant to simulate the major components of the gas created by our air blown gasifier so that other variables such as flow rate, catalyst activity, optimal temperature and pressure ranges, and alpha can be determined. This first experimental gives us a set of control data to then compare to the gasifier's gas under real conditions coupled with possibly a simple yet strategic gas clean up and/or steam reformation step to whatever extent it could be needed.
The most common and cheap transition metal oxide for FT catalysis is iron oxide. One glance at the floor of a metal shop and sourcing iron oxide catalyst seems like a perfectly reasonable proposition. However, most of the literature indicates there are surface characteristics and other details that matter as much as the raw material type used. Other important factors are things like: purity, particle size, porosity, pretreatment regimes, addition of promoters and/or supports (such as alumina oxide), and co-catalysts such as cobalt/copper/etc will allow for higher selectivity (meaning less deviation across the possible range of products) higher catalyst activity thus higher efficiency in carbon conversion to liquid fuel. These considerations for FT catalyst making do not necessarily render DIY catalyst making impossible, but lack of attention to these details will definitely challenge activity of the FT reaction as a whole. Earlier FT experiments have used magnetite for the catalyst to synthesize anywhere in the range from diesel, methane, and/or wax as a liquid product from wood gas/coal gas. Magnetite, is naturally magnetic iron ore, the 'black rust', Fe3O4, also iron (II,III) oxide. I am trying to recreate what these earlier experiments may have achieved. Like many of us that are interested in reading about this technologies we all start at the FT archives here: http://www.fischer-tropsch.org/ Find the rest of the article here on ALL Power Lab's Forum site: http://www.gekgasifier.com/forums/showthread.php?t=516 -- Julia Hasty ALL Power Labs Office: 510-575-1129 All Power Labs Order Line: 510-845-1500 Email: [email protected] Skype: JayAPL 1010 Murray St. Berkeley, CA 94710 U.S.A.
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