Activated carbon supported ruthenium catalysts for ammonia synthesis

4 Activated carbon supported ruthenium catalysts for ammonia synthesis 

As early as the middle of 1960s, BP successfully developed a kind of oleophylic graphite with excellent adsorption ability, and then a kind of graphited carbon in 1974, which could be used as supports for various catalysts. From 1978 to 1984, BP claimed a series of patents on ruthenium catalysts for ammonia synthesis. In 1979, ° a novel catalyst for ammonia synthesis was prepared by loading carbonyl compound of ruthenium on carbon containing graphite in laboratory. This kind of catalyst, with graphited carbon as support and Rus (CO) 12 as the precursor, possessed some special features that may be summarized as follows  

High activity (more than 10-20 times than magnetite) and at high ammonia concentrations Outlet ammonia of reactor may be 20%-21.7% at 91.4Kg.cm and over a wide range of H/N ratios. 

Expected catalyst life is the same as for magnetite, and is determined by loss of carbon support. 

Poisons are the same as for magnetite and to approximately the same degree. Catalyst recovers after temporary poisons (H2O, O2, CO, CO2) are removed. 

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