Combination of CO2 reforming and partial oxidation of CH4 over Ni/Al2O3 catalysts using fluidized bed reactor

The effects of the Ni loading, total feed flow rate, prereduction temperature, reaction temperature and feed gas ratio for combination of CO₂ reforming and partial oxidation of CH₄ over Ni/Al₂O₃ were investigated using a fluidized bed reactor. Methane conversion to syngas was drastically enhanced using a fluidized bed reactor over Ni/Al₂O₃ catalyst calcined at high temperature. The fluidized bed and the fixed bed reactor were compared and a promoting mechanism of the fluidized bed reactor was proposed. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Insights into the Diffusion Behaviors of Water over Hydrophilic/Hydrophobic Catalysts During the Conversion of Syngas to High-Quality Gasoline

Although considerable efforts towards directly converting syngas to liquid fuels through Fischer–Tropsch synthesis have been made, developing catalysts with low CO₂ selectivity for the synthesis of high-quality gasoline remains a big challenge. Herein, we designed a bifunctional catalyst composed of hydrophobic FeNa@Si-c and HZSM-5 zeolite, which exhibited a low CO₂ selectivity of 14.3 % at 49.8 % CO conversion, with a high selectivity of 62.5 % for gasoline in total products. Molecular dynamic simulations and model experiments revealed that the diffusion of water molecules through hydrophilic catalyst was bidirectional, while the diffusion through hydrophobic catalyst was unidirectional, which were crucial to tune the water-gas shift reaction and control CO₂ formation. This work provides a new fundamental understanding about the function of hydrophobic modification of catalysts in syngas conversion.     

Syngas conversion beyond chemical equilibrium by in situ bimolecular reaction

An in situ bimolecular reaction, in which syngas is fed with toluene as a secondary reactant (hereafter Tol in situ methylation), was studied over bifunctional catalysts comprised of methanol synthesis catalyst and H-ZSM-5 in a fixed-bed down-flow reactor at 460 psig. When physically mixed with H-ZSM-5 to form bifunctional catalysts, CrZ_HZ (Cr₂O₃/ZnO + HZSM-5) catalyst showed much higher activity than CZA_HZ (CuO/ZnO/Al₂O₃ + H-ZSM-5) in the Tol in situ methylation, while CrZ catalyst exhibited substantially lower activity than CZA in methanol synthesis. CO conversion to methanol in the Tol in situ methylation was estimated by Bz in situ methylation. The CO conversion to methanol was calculated to be in the range of 11–27 %, while that in methanol synthesis over CrZ was about 5 % at most due to chemical equilibrium limitation. By employing a silicalite-coated H-ZSM-5 (Sil/HZ) in bifunctional catalyst, xylene selectivity and para-xylene yield were much improved in the Tol in situ methylation.     

One‐Step Reforming of CO2 and CH4 into High‐Value Liquid Chemicals and Fuels at Room Temperature by Plasma‐Driven Catalysis

The conversion of CO₂ with CH₄ into liquid fuels and chemicals in a single‐step catalytic process that bypasses the production of syngas remains a challenge. In this study, liquid fuels and chemicals (e.g., acetic acid, methanol, ethanol, and formaldehyde) were synthesized in a one‐step process from CO₂ and CH₄ at room temperature (30 °C) and atmospheric pressure for the first time by using a novel plasma reactor with a water electrode. The total selectivity to oxygenates was approximately 50–60 %, with acetic acid being the major component at 40.2 % selectivity, the highest value reported for acetic acid thus far. Interestingly, the direct plasma synthesis of acetic acid from CH₄ and CO₂ is an ideal reaction with 100 % atom economy, but it is almost impossible by thermal catalysis owing to the significant thermodynamic barrier. The combination of plasma and catalyst in this process shows great potential for manipulating the distribution of liquid chemical products in a given process.     

The influence of La2O3 and TiO2 on NiO/MgO/α-Al2O3

Summary The effect of La₂O₃ and TiO₂ on product selectivity, methane conversion and coke formation over NiO/MgO/ α -Al₂O₃ catalyst were studied in a simultaneous steam and CO₂ reforming of methane to syngas. La₂O₃ and TiO₂ were added to the catalyst via incipient wetness impregnation and bulk precipitation techniques and catalyst activity was tested in a fixed bed quartz reactor. Results reveal that although the addition of these oxides has no effect on the product selectivity and methane conversion, but can reduce coke formation on the surface of the catalysts as it can enhance the mobility of lattice oxygen anions. The results further show that the catalysts prepared by bulk precipitation technique decrease the coke formation more effectively.     

生物质炭和富二氧化碳合成气制取二甲醚

研究了一种利用富二氧化碳合成气和生物质炭联合制取二甲醚的方法, 其过程包括两个步骤: 富二氧化碳合成气调整以及调整后合成气合成二甲醚. 在合成气调整过程中, 利用生物质炭为原料在Ni/Al₂O₃催化剂上将富二氧化碳合成气调整为富一氧化碳合成气. 经过800 °C合成气调整后, 合成气中CO₂含量大幅降低而CO含量大幅提高, CO₂/CO的摩尔比从原始合成气的6.33降至0.21. 然后, 分别用调整前后的合成气合成二甲醚, 结果表明, 经过调整后, C转化率得到很大的提高, 二甲醚产率比调整前高4倍. 本工作提供了一种可利用富二氧化碳生物质合成气制取燃料的途径, 并且提供了一种新的利用生物质炭的方法.     

Production of Mixed Alcohols from Bio-syngas over Mo-based Catalyst

A series of Mo-based catalysts prepared by sol-gel method using citric acid as complexant were successfully applied in the high effcient production of mixed alcohols from bio-syngas, derived from the biomass gasification. The Cu₁Co₁Fe₁Mo₁Zn_0.5-6%K catalyst exhibited a higher activity on the space-time yield of mixed alcohols, compared with the other Mo-based catalysts. The carbon conversion significantly increases with rising temperature below 340 oC, but the alcohol selectivity has an opposite trend. The maximum mixed alcohols yield derived from biomass gasification is 494.8 g/(kg_catal·h) with the C2⁺ (C2-C6 higher alcohols) alcohols of 80.4% under the tested conditions. The alcohol distributions are con-sistent with the Schulz-Flory plots, except methanol. In the alcohols products, the C2⁺ alcohols (higher alcohols) dominate with a weight ratio of 70%-85%. The Mo-based cata-lysts have been characterized by X-ray diffraction and N2 adsorption/desorption. The clean bio-fules of mixed alcohols derived from bio-syngas with higher octane values could be used as transportation fuels or petrol additives.     

A sulfur-tolerant Pd/CeO2 catalyst for methanol synthesis from syngas

The catalytic activity of ceria-supported Pd for selective hydrogenation of CO is well preserved in the presence of 30 ppm H2S due to the parallel oxidation of sulfur by CeO2 under standard methanol synthesis conditions. The bifunctional nature of this catalyst opens a route for the conversion of sulfur-contaminated gas streams such as the integrated gasification combined cycle syngas or biogas into liquid fuels if desulfurization by conventional means is not practical.     

Dynamic modeling of a H2O-permselective membrane reactor to enhance methanol synthesis from syngas considering catalyst deactivation

In this paper,the effect of water vapor removal on methanol synthesis capacity from syngas in a fixed-bed membrane reactor is studied considering long-term catalyst deactivation.A dynamic heterogeneous one-dimensional mathematical model that is composed of two sides is developed to predict the performance of this configuration.In this configuration,conventional methanol reactor is supported by an aluminasilica composite membrane layer for water vapor removal from reaction zone.To verify the accuracy of the considered model and assumptions,simulation results of the conventional methanol reactor is compared with the industrial plant data under the same process condition.The membrane reactor improves catalyst life time and enhances CO2 conversion to methanol by overcoming the limitation imposed by thermodynamic equilibrium.This configuration has enhanced the methanol production capacity about 4.06% compared with the industrial methanol reactor during the production time.     

EFFECT OF CATALYST CONCENTRATION ON CATALYTIC PERFORMANCE IN LIQUID PHASE DIMETHYL ETHER SYNTHESIS FROM SYNGAS

利用ＺＳＭ－５型沸石可将轻烃选择性地转化为苯，甲苯和二甲苯。ＨＺＳＭ－５催化剂上丙烷转化率和芳烃选择性都很低，但在ＨＺＳＭ－５上添加Ｇａ或Ｐｔ－Ｇａ（双金属改性）后丙烷转化率和芳烃选择性都有很大提高。实验结果表明，Ｇａ／ＨＺＳＭ－５催化剂经氢气高温预处理后，其上的Ｂｒｏ．．ｎｓｔｅｄ酸中心数目减少。铂的加入促进了镓物种的还原，而还原的镓物种可以中和相当一部分催化剂表面Ｂｒ．ｎｓｔｅｄ酸中心，然后形成高度不饱和的催化活性中心。这些中心可以作为Ｌｅｗｉｓ中心，从丙烷和反应中间产物中拔除Ｈ－，使丙烷高选择性地生成芳烃     

含氮合成气在三相淤浆床-固定床中直接合成二甲醚

在三相淤浆床－固定床反应装置中,研究含氮合成气直接合成二甲醚。使用双功能混合催化剂,粒度为0.15 mm～0.18 mm。在220 ℃～260 ℃、3.0 MPa～7.0 MPa、空速1 000 mL·g-1·h-1时考察了温度、压力及两种反应器中催化剂的装填比例对CO转化率及二甲醚选择性的影响。结果表明,一氧化碳转化率随反应压力的增加而提高,随着温度升高二甲醚的选择性变化不大,CO转化率的升高较明显,因此在催化剂活性适宜的温度范围内,该反应装置可以采用较高的反应温度。当260 ℃、7.0 MPa、三相床与固定床中催化剂比例为1∶1时,CO的转化率可达84.5％,二甲醚的选择性为78.7％。淤浆床－固定床反应装置具有操作稳定性好、CO转化率高的优点。催化剂在该装置中反应370 h活性没有明显下降。     

Effect of supercritical fluid of CO2 drying during Cu/ZnO catalyst preparation on methanol synthesis from syngas at low temperature

A copper-based catalyst can be utilized to synthesize methanol from syngas containing carbon dioxide as well as water at low temperature and low pressure. However, the agglomeration of the metallic copper and zinc oxide decreased the catalyst surface area and the Cu-specific surface area. In order to prevent the sintering, the supercritical CO₂ was used to extract water from the catalyst precursor. Our results demonstrate that the Cu-specific surface area was the essential factor to affect the catalytic activity. A larger Cu-specific surface area would cause higher methanol synthesis activity. The optimized supercritical CO₂ drying condition was at 308?K and 8.0?MPa for 3?h when the methanol yield reached 44.8%.     

Boosting the synthesis of value-added aromatics directly from syngas via a Cr2O3 and Ga doped zeolite capsule catalyst

Even though the transformation of syngas into aromatics has been realized via a methanol-mediated tandem process, the low product yield is still the bottleneck, limiting the industrial application of this technology. Herein, a tailor-made zeolite capsule catalyst with Ga doping and SiO₂ coating was combined with the methanol synthesis catalyst Cr₂O₃ to boost the synthesis of value-added aromatics, especially para-xylene, from syngas. Multiple characterization studies, control experiments, and density functional theory (DFT) calculation results clarified that Ga doped zeolites with strong CO adsorption capability facilitated the transformation of the reaction intermediate methanol by optimizing the first C–C coupling step under a high-pressure CO atmosphere, thereby driving the reaction forward for aromatics synthesis. This work not only reveals the synergistic catalytic network in the tandem process but also sheds new light on principles for the rational design of a catalyst in terms of oriented conversion of syngas.

The single-pass conversion of syngas into para-xylene was realized using a bifunctional catalyst Cr₂O₃/Ga-ZSM-5@SiO₂. The Ga species facilitates the methanol consumption process by C–C coupling optimization, enhancing the yield of the target aromatics.     

FeMn、FeMnNa和FeMnK催化剂上合成气制低碳烯烃的比较

研究了钠、钾助剂对FeMn 合成低碳烯烃催化剂结构及性能的影响. 低温N₂吸附、X射线光电子能谱（XPS）、X射线衍射（XRD）、H₂程序升温还原（H₂-TPR）、CO/CO₂程序升温脱附（CO/CO₂-TPD）、Mössbauer 谱和CO+H₂反应的研究结果表明,增加Mn助剂含量促进了活性相的分散和低碳烯烃的生成,而过多锰助剂在催化剂表面的富集则降低了费托合成反应的CO转化率;钾助剂和钠助剂的加入均抑制了催化剂的还原并且促进了CO₂和CO的吸附. 比较还原后（H₂/CO摩尔比为20）和反应后（H₂/CO摩尔比为3.5）催化剂的体相结构可以发现,在FeMn、FeMnNa和FeMnK催化剂中,由于钾助剂的碱性和CO吸附能力较强,因此体相中FeC_x的含量相对较高;而活性测试结果表明,FeMnNa催化剂拥有最好的CO转化率（96.2%）和低碳烯烃选择性（30.5%,摩尔分数）.     

Non-thermal plasma technology for the conversion of CO2

The conversion of carbon dioxide is vital if we are to avoid the catastrophic consequences that will result from further global temperature rise as a result of burning fossil fuels. Current techniques, such as catalytic conversion and biochemical processes, are each associated with their own drawbacks such as catalyst deactivation and high energy input. Plasma processes are gaining increasing interest as they have the potential to reduce a greater amount of atmospheric environmental pollutants at any one time due to an increased throughput, whilst using a smaller reactor with improved energy efficiency and near-zero emissions. Non-thermal plasma can dissociate stable molecules, such as CO₂, at temperatures as low as room temperature. It is this key feature which makes plasma conversion such a promising technology in the conversion and utilisation of CO₂. Furthermore, possible products from plasma processes include fuels and chemicals, such as methanol and syngas, which have a high market value; hence potentially making the process feasible on an industrial scale. This paper discusses recent advances in the use of plasma processes for carbon dioxide conversion, along with the future outlook of this technology and the impact these techniques could have on the chemical and energy industries.     

甲烷部分氧化制合成气反应中催化剂积炭的研究(英文)

Ｎｉ／Ａｌ_２Ｏ_３催化剂上甲烷部分氧化制合成气反应是在固定床流动反应装置上进行的。考察了催化剂的床层温度、反应压力、空速和原料气配比对催化剂积炭产生的影响。实验结果表明,积炭速率随催化剂床层温度的升高而降低,当温度低于７０℃时,积炭速率骤增：积炭总是发生在催化剂床层的下段;若空速超过３．０×１０~５ｈ~（－１）,积炭速率随空速增加而明显降低。从ＦＴＩＲ实验结果可知,吸附在Ｎｉ／Ａｌ_２Ｏ_３催化剂表面上的ＣＯ,一部分歧化生成了ＣＯ_２和Ｃ。综上所述,催化剂表面积炭主要来源于以下两个反应： ２ＣＯ→Ｃ＋ＣＯ_２,ＣＯ＋Ｈ_２　＝ Ｃ＋Ｈ_２Ｏ     

Research Progress in the Direct Synthesis of Dimethyl Carbonate from CO2 and Methanol

The direct synthesis of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) from CO₂ and methanol is one attractive way for the reduction of greenhouse gas emission and the utilization of carbon resources. Recent progress in the direct synthesis of DMC from CO₂ and methanol is reviewed with the focus on the catalyst systems, including organic metal compounds catalyst, base catalyst, acetate catalyst, metal oxide and supported metal oxide catalysts, heteropolyacid catalyst and photocatalyst. Moreover, the application of supercritical system, ionic liquid system, electrochemical system, membrane reactor and nitriles hydration in the direct synthesis of DMC are also introduced. Finally, future research direction in this area is proposed.     

Pressure swing adsorption for CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> capture in Fischer-Tropsch fuels production from biomass

Environmental concerns and oil price rises and dependency promoted strong research in alternative fuel sources and vectors. Fischer-Tropsch products are considered a valid alternative to oil derivatives having the advantage of being able to share current infrastructures. As a renewable source of energy, synthesis gas obtained from biomass gasification presents itself as a sustainable alternative. However, prior to hydrocarbon conversion, the bio-syngas must be conditioned, which includes the removal of carbon dioxide for subsequent sequestration and capture. A pressure swing adsorption cycle was developed for the removal and concentration of CO₂ from the bio-syngas stream. Activated carbon was chosen as adsorbent. The simulation results showed that it was possible to produce a (H₂ + CO) product with a H₂/CO stoichiometric ratio of 2.14 (suitable as feed stream for the Fischer-Tropsch reactor) and a CO₂ product with a purity of 95.18%. A CO₂ recovery of 90.3% was obtained. A power consumption of 3.36 MW was achieved, which represents a reduction of about 28% when compared to a Rectisol process with the same recovery.     

Methanol synthesis from carbon dioxide and hydrogen using a ceramic memebrane reactor

Methanol was synthesized from CO₂ and H₂ using a silica/alumina composite membrane reactor, which improved methanol conversion to 150% of the value in conventional reactor, by in situ removal of water formed in catalytic reaction. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Dry Reforming of Methane by DC Spark Discharge with a Rotating Electrode

A novel type of plasma reactor having a rotating electrode is proposed for CO₂ reforming of methane without catalyst at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Results indicated that employing rotating ground electrode leads to a stable discharge for any period of time. Effects of feed composition, feed flow rate, applied power and electrodes separation on the carbon dioxide and methane conversions as well as the products selectivity were investigated. Increasing CO₂/CH₄ molar ratio in the feed favors the reagents conversion and consequently promotes the formation of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. If the target product is hydrogen, it is proposed to operate the reactor at CO₂/CH₄ = 1 molar ratio and if the target product is carbon monoxide then CO₂/CH₄ = 3 molar ratio is the preferred option for feed composition. This reactor system has advantages of stable operation and high conversion ability. Also, the obtained syngas with flexible molar ratio of H₂ to CO is suitable for vast industrial applications.