Raising Co/Al2O3 catalyst lifetime in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis by using a novel dual-bed reactor

Abstract Accelerated deactivation of 15 wt.% Co/Al 2 O 3 catalyst in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS) in a single-bed and a dual-bed reactor is reported. Water was found to have a remarkable effect on the deactivation of Co/Al 2 O 3 catalyst during FTS. Synthesis at higher temperatures and lower space velocities resulted in higher values of P H 2 O /( P CO  +  P H 2 ) and P H 2 O / P CO and higher catalyst deactivation rates. Water-induced back-oxidation of cobalt, cobalt–alumina interactions, irreducible cobalt aluminates formation and refractory coke formation are the main sources of deactivation. When the water to carbon monoxide plus hydrogen ratio P H 2 O /( P CO  +  P H 2 ) is greater than about 0.55 or water to carbon monoxide ratio P H 2 O / P CO is greater than about 1.5, it is not uncommon to find rapid catalyst deactivation. Separation of water and heavy hydrocarbons between the two catalytic beds of the dual-bed reactor, resulted in 62% lower catalyst deactivation rate than that of the single-bed reactor. The amount of refractory coke formation on the catalysts of the dual-bed reactor is 34% lower than that of the single-bed reactor. It was revealed that activity recovery of the used catalysts of the dual-bed is higher than that of the single-bed reactor.