C1 Chemistry for the Production of Ultra-Clean Liquid Transportation Fuels and Hydrogen

Abstract

C C1 1 CCh he em mi is st tr ry y f fo or r t th he e P Pr ro od du uc ct ti io on n o of f U Ul lt tr ra a--C Cl le ea an n L Li iq qu ui id d T Tr ra an ns sp po or rt ta at ti io on n F ABSTRACT:The Consortium for Fossil Fuel Science (CFFS) is a research consortium with participants from the University of Kentucky, University of Pittsburgh, West Virginia University, University of Utah, and Auburn University. The CFFS is conducting a research program to develop C1 chemistry technology for the production of clean transportation fuel from resources such as coal and natural gas, which are more plentiful domestically than petroleum. The processes under development will convert feedstocks containing one carbon atom per molecular unit into ultra clean liquid transportation fuels (gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel) and hydrogen, which many believe will be the transportation fuel of the future. Feedstocks include synthesis gas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen produced by coal gasification, coalbed methane, light products produced by Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis, methanol, and natural gas. Some highlights of the results obtained during the second year of the contract are summarized below.Liquid fuels 1. Addition of acetylene during F-T synthesis, using either Co or Fe catalysts, decreases alpha values; increases branching of products; and produces oxygenates, primarily alcohols. 2. Heavy hydrocarbons are more readily removed from active catalyst sites during F-T synthesis in supercritical hexane (SCH), enhancing active site availability. 3. Hydroisomerization and hydrocracking are balanced using Pt-promoted tungstated zirconia and sulfated zirconia hybrid catalysts, increasing yields of jet and diesel fuels. 4. Metallic Co nanoparticles deposited on high surface area, mesoporous silica aerogel provide excellent F-T synthesis yields and selectivities towards the diesel fuel fraction, C10+. 5. An Fe-Cu-K catalyst supported on peat AC shows high initial F-T synthesis activity, but deactivates rapidly. Catalyst stability is improved significantly by addition of 6% molybdenum. 6. Reaction conditions have been optimized to convert syngas to C2-C4 light olefins using a hybrid catalyst consisting of a methanol synthesis catalyst and a methanol to olefin catalyst. Hydrogen 1. Pt or Ni-Cu catalysts supported on stacked-cone nanotubes exhibit good activity for the dehydrogenation of cyclohexane or methylcyclohexane to pure hydrogen and aromatic liquids. 2. An alternating fluid-bed/fixed-bed reaction system is being developed for continuous catalytic dehydrogenation of light alkanes to pure hydrogen and carbon nanotubes. 3. A continuous reactor with online analysis for aqueous-phase reforming of ethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol is being constructed and tested. 4. Methanol reforming in supercritical water containing K compounds in a reactor made of NiCu tubing yields a high-hydrogen content product gas (~98%). 5. A bimetallic Co-W carbide catalyst was used for steam reforming of methanol and showed nearly constant,...