CONVERSION OF NATURAL GAS TO LIQUID FUELS BY FISCHER-TROPSCH

摘要

In the conversion of natural gas to liquid transport fuels, the gas is first reformed to syngas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The syngas is converted to hydrocarbons in the Fischer-Tropsch process. The Fischer-Tropsch process can be operated at low temperatures (LTFT) to produce a product with a large fraction of heavy, waxy hydrocarbons or it can be operated at higher temperatures (HTFT) to produce a light syncrude and olefins. In recent years new reactors have been developed and commercially proven which have made the Fischer-Tropsch process much cheaper and more efficient. With proper integration with the reforming process, it is now possible to provide, via Fischer-Tropsch, commercially attractive methods to convert natural gas to transport fuels and organic chemicals. This presentation will concentrate on the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis step.