PHENOMENOLOGICAL KINETICS OF A SOLID-FLUID CATALYTIC REACTION: THE CASE OF FISCHER-TROPSCH SYNTHESIS WITH PLASMA SPRAY-DERIVED NANO-IRON CARBIDES

摘要

Exponentially-improved calculation capacities during the last 20 years have provided the reactionengineering field with powerful tools for better integration of complex reaction mechanisms into kinetics andconsequent reactor simulation. However, even in relatively simpler reactions, the prevailing mechanisms and theirassociated elementary reaction steps are rather difficult to define with precision. This work extends the application ofpreviously-proposed methodology, relying on reaction severity factors as part of the development ofphenomenological kinetics for such complex reactions. The severity factors proposed here integrate the roles ofreaction space velocity (reciprocal of reaction residence time), temperature and catalyst concentration. Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is chosen to extend the concept for 2 reasons: (1) the reaction is well-documented with abundantresults published in the open literature, and (2) interest in “green” hydrocarbons and other organic vectors (i.e.“green” ethanol synthesis) is growing as a means of liquid fuel production from renewable resources.