Highly Conductive Catalyst Support Structure for Use in Large Diameter Highly Exothermic Gas-to-Liquid Reactors

摘要

From a thermal management perspective, many highly exothermic gas-to-liquid reactions are problematic. Due to the high heat of reaction, many strict limitations are placed on reactor design to ensure safe and productive operation. Such limitations can include the reactor diameter, reactant recycle, heat exchanger design, catalyst loading, and the catalyst support structure in order to mitigate heat transfer problems. To overcome these limitations, a novel catalyst support structure that is highly thermally conductive has been utilized. The catalyst support known as microfibrous entrapped catalyst (MFEC) composed of sintered micron-diameter metallic fibers entrapped with catalyst particulates was studied for use in highly exothermic gas-to-liquid reactions.