This article describes the development of BP's Fischer-Tropsch catalyst, used for the conversion of carbon monoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons. It covers the 18 year period from the early eighties, when...This article describes the development of BP's Fischer-Tropsch catalyst, used for the conversion of carbon monoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons. It covers the 18 year period from the early eighties, when laboratory scale preparations and micro-reactors were heavily used, right through to the present day with the commercial scale manufacture and proving of the finished catalyst in BP's new $86 million gas to liquids demonstration facility in Nikiski, Alaska. Extensive performance testing and scale-up experiments have been successfully carried out, all proof that a laboratory preparation can indeed be translated into a commercial manufacturing process. In addition, the resulting catalyst does not only meet the process design targets, but also exhibits enhanced stability and is tolerant to carbon dioxide. Above all, a commercial scale, fixed bed Fischer-Tropsch catalyst is now available and ready for licensing. Manufacturing procedures and quality control have all been successfully detailed and transferred to the commercial manufacturer.展开更多
文摘This article describes the development of BP's Fischer-Tropsch catalyst, used for the conversion of carbon monoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons. It covers the 18 year period from the early eighties, when laboratory scale preparations and micro-reactors were heavily used, right through to the present day with the commercial scale manufacture and proving of the finished catalyst in BP's new $86 million gas to liquids demonstration facility in Nikiski, Alaska. Extensive performance testing and scale-up experiments have been successfully carried out, all proof that a laboratory preparation can indeed be translated into a commercial manufacturing process. In addition, the resulting catalyst does not only meet the process design targets, but also exhibits enhanced stability and is tolerant to carbon dioxide. Above all, a commercial scale, fixed bed Fischer-Tropsch catalyst is now available and ready for licensing. Manufacturing procedures and quality control have all been successfully detailed and transferred to the commercial manufacturer.