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Low-temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis was investigated in micro packed-bed reactors. Co/Re/c-Al 2 O 3 catalysts with different particle shapes and sizes (60 to 580 lm) were employed. Tubular reactor geometry with lengths of up to 1 m was chosen. Pressure drop measurements in the absence of reaction and during reaction were carried out. For analysis of the experimental data a reactor model was developed, which was also used for the determination of liquid holdup. It could be observed that the liquid holdup is independent of conversion, reaction temperature, C 5+ productivity, and reaction rate. For irregularly shaped catalyst particles, a liquid holdup in the range of 3 % was observed.

A series of Co/TiO2 catalysts was tested in a parameters field study for Fischer‒Tropsch synthesis (FTS). All catalysts were prepared by the conventional impregnation technique to obtain an industrially relevant Co content of 10 wt % or 20 wt %, respectively. In summary, 10 different TiO2 of pure anatase phase, pure rutile phase, as well as mixed rutile and anatase phase were used as supports. Performance tests were conducted with a 32-fold high-throughput setup for accelerated catalyst benchmarking; thus, 48 experiments were completed within five weeks in a relevant operation parameters field (170 °C to 233.5 °C, H2/CO ratio 1 to 2.5, and 20 bar(g)). The most promising catalyst showed a CH4 selectivity of 5.3% at a relevant CO conversion of 60% and a C5+ productivity of 2.1 gC5+/(gCo h) at 207.5 °C. These TiO2-based materials were clearly differentiated with respect to the application as supports in Co-catalyzed FTS catalysis. The most prospective candidates are available for further FTS optimization at a commercial scale.

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