Diffusion-enhanced olefin readsorption

Recently, we reported detailed descriptions of hydrocarbon chain growth on supported Ru catalysts (7,8) we showed that product distributions do not follow simple polymerization kinetics and proposed a diffusion-enhanced olefin readsorption model in order to account for such deviations (7,8). In this paper, we describe this model and show that it also applies to Co and Fe catalysts. Finally, we use this model to discuss a few examples from the literature where catalyst physical structure and reaction conditions markedly influence hydrocarbon product distributions. 

The trends in carbon number distribution and in a-olefin/paraffin ratio on Ru, Fe, and Co, three very different catalytic surfaces, are remarkably similar. All catalysts show a curved Flory plot and an a-olefin/paraffin ratio that decreases with increasing carbon number until only paraffins are observed at high carbon numbers. In each case, diffusion-enhanced olefin readsorption accounts for such trends. Its contribution depends on the catalytic surface, its physical structure, and reaction conditions. 

As expected from the key role of diffusion-enhanced olefin readsorption, C5+ selectivity increases with increasing site density (Fig. 13a curve A, 1.0... 

The diffusion-enhanced olefin readsorption model described in Section III,C was used to predict the effect of carbon number on chain growth probability and paraffin selectivity. The model requires only one adjustable parameter the exponent c in a hydrocarbon diffusivity equation that depends on molecular size ( ), but that is identical for paraffins and olefins of equal size ... 

Hydrocarbon distributions in the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis on Ru, Co, and Fe catalysts often do not obey simple Flory kinetics. Flory plots are curved and the chain growth parameter a increases with increasing carbon number until it reaches an asymptotic value. a-Olefin/n-paraffin ratios on all three types of catalysts decrease asymptotically to zero as carbon number increases. These data are consistent with diffusion-enhanced readsorption of a-olefins within catalyst particles. Diffusion limitations within liquid-filled catalyst particles slow down the removal of a-olefins. This increases the residence time and the fugacity of a-olefins within catalyst pores, enhances their probability of readsorption and chain initiation, and leads to the formation of heavier and more paraffinic products. Structural catalyst properties, such as pellet size, porosity, and site density, and the kinetics of readsorption, chain termination and growth, determine the extent of a-olefin readsorption within catalyst particles and control FT selectivity. 

The effective diffusivity Dn decreases rapidly as carbon number increases. The readsorption rate constant kr n depends on the intrinsic chemistry of the catalytic site and on experimental conditions but not on chain size. The rest of the equation contains only structural catalyst properties pellet size (L), porosity (e), active site density (0), and pore radius (Rp). High values of the Damkohler number lead to transport-enhanced a-olefin readsorption and chain initiation. The structural parameters in the Damkohler number account for two phenomena that control the extent of an intrapellet secondary reaction the intrapellet residence time of a-olefins and the number of readsorption sites (0) that they encounter as they diffuse through a catalyst particle. For example, high site densities can compensate for low catalyst surface areas, small pellets, and large pores by increasing the probability of readsorption even at short residence times. This is the case, for example, for unsupported Ru, Co, and Fe powders. 

Results for the Synthol entrained-bed process (16) are plotted in Figure 8. The available C to C15 data follow the conventional Flory plot with a equal to 0.7. The Synthol process uses a fused Fe catalyst of low surface area and porosity and operates at high temperatures ( 590K). The products in the reactor are mainly gaseous, wax formation is minimal, and the pellet pore structure remains free of liquid products therefore, diffusion-enhanced a-olefin readsorption is much less likely than in the ARGE process. Whereas the product selectivity in the ARGE process is altered by diffusion-enhanced a-olefin readsorption, that in the Synthol process is not. 

The initial increase in C5+ selectivity as x increases arises from diffusion-enhanced readsorption of a-olefins. At higher values of CO transport restrictions lead to a decrease in C5+ selectivity. Because CO diffuses much faster than C3+ a-olefins through liquid hydrocarbons, the onset of reactant transport limitations occurs at larger and more reactive pellets (higher Ro, 0m) than for a-olefin readsorption reactions. CO transport limitations lead to low local CO concentrations and to high H2/CO ratios at catalytic sites. These conditions favor an increase in the chain termination probability (jSr, /Sh) and in the rate of secondary hydrogenation of a-olefins (j8s) and lead to lighter and more paraffinic products. 

Diffusion-limited removal of products from catalyst pellets leads to enhanced readsorption and chain initiation by reactive a-olefins. These secondary reactions reverse chain termination steps that form these olefins and lead to heavier products, higher chain growth probabilities, and more paraffinic products. Diffusion-enhanced readsorption of a-olefins accounts for the non-Flory carbon number distributions frequently observed during FT synthesis on Co and Ru catalysts. Diffusion-limited reactant (H2/CO) arrival leads instead to lower selectivity to higher hydrocarbons. Consequently, intermediate levels of transport restrictions lead to highest selectiv-ities to C5+ products. A structural parameter containing the pellet diameter, the average pore size, and the density of metal sites within pellets, determines the severity of transport restrictions and the FT synthesis selectivity on supported Ru and Co catalysts. 

Each time an a-olefin readsorbs, there is a chance that it will desorb as a larger paraffin. Desorption as a paraffin is an irreversible termination step. At high carbon numbers, pore diffusion effects dominate and a-olefins do not exit the catalyst particles unreacted because of enhanced readsorption only unreactive paraffins are observed. As a result, the olefin/paraffin ratio decreases asymptotically to zero as carbon number increases. 

Readsorption enhancements caused by slow removal of a-olefins from catalyst pellets and interpellet voids are described by Eqs. (8)-(14). In these equations, transport rates are described in terms of the physical structure of the support and of the reactive and diffusive properties of reactant and products in molten hydrocarbons. Chain growth and termination rate constants are assumed to be independent of chain size and of surface structure and chemical properties. The readsorption probability (jSr) is also assumed... 

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