Methanation potassium poison effect

Intrinsic to interpreting catalytic poisoning and promotion in terms of electronic effects is the inference that adsorption of an electropositive impurity should moderate or compensate for the effects of an electronegative impurity. Recent experiments have shown this to be true in the case of CO2 methanation where the adsorption of sulfur decreases the rate of methane formation significantly. The adsorption of potassium in the presence of sulfur indicates that the potassium can neutralize the effects of sulfur. 

Industrial poisoning. The production of silicone products uses substances harmful for human health. These are inorganic substances (ammonia, chlorine, sodium and potassium hydroxides, sulfuric and hydrochloric acids, hydrogen chloride) and organic compounds of various types, such as hydrocarbons (methane, benzene and its homologues), chlorine derivatives (methyl- and ethylchloride, chlorobenzene), alcohols (methyl, ethyl, n-butyl, hydrosite), acetone, pyridine, etc. The information about their toxicity, explosion hazard, effect on human body, as well as maximum allowable concentrations of gases and vapours in the air at workplace can be found in special references.(Ryabov 1970). A comprehensive description of silicone substances is given in Table 29. 

When only potassium carbonate or organic solvents are used, the effects are less important. Potassium carbonate blocks the catalyst pores, and can be removed by washing with water to restore normal performance. Methanation catalysts can be protected from poisons by installing a guard bed of zinc oxide absorbent. This will remove traces of sulfur and droplets of liquid from the carbon dioxide removal system70. 

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