Chemical conversion of synthesis gas to hydrocarbons and other products under the condition of the method known as "aerosol nanocatalysis" has been studied.
A laboratory installation was developed and experimental studies were carried out in the range of process-dependent parameters: pressure from 0.1 to 1.0 MPa, temperature from 483 to 533 K, catalyst concentration from 5 to 25 g/m3 of reactor volume, and mechanochemical activation intensity from 4, 0 to 11.2 Hz. It was found that an increase in pressure from 0.1 to 1.0 MPa gradually increased the conversion degree from 44.1 % to 56.5. An increase in pressure of the FTS process in conditions of aerosol catalysis from 0.1 to 1.0 MPa contributed to a stable yield growth from 14 to 17 %. Selectivity reached its maximum value of 93.1 % at a pressure of 0.3 MPa. Dependence of selectivity on the catalyst MCA intensity was characterized by the constant growth of selectivity of carbon monoxide conversion to hydrocarbons with an increase in MCA frequency from 4 to 8.5 Hz while maximum selectivity reached 91 %. With a further increase in MCA frequency to 11.2 Hz, a decrease (to 83.5 %) in the value of selectivity of carbon monoxide conversion to hydrocarbon products in the FTS process was observed. Therefore, it was recommended to consider the value of the MCA frequency from 6 to 10 Hz as an acceptable range. Maximum yield (73 wt %) of hydrocarbon fraction with a chain length from 5 to 6 carbon atoms was observed for a pressure of 0.3 MPa. The minimum yield was 35 wt % for a pressure of 1.2 MPa. At other pressure values (0.1–0.2 and 0.4–1.1 MPa) of experimental studies, the yield of this fraction varied within 38–52 wt %. A block diagram of experimental-industrial FTS installation based on principles of aerosol nanocatalysis was offered.