Activity of the catalysts prepared by co-extrusion method in the Fisher - Tropsch synthesis
A new method for manufacturing Co catalysts for Fischer - Tropsch synthesis is proposed. The method is based on the use of solid organic cobalt salts introduced into the catalyst by coextrusion, i.e. joint extrusion of the components of the support and the active metal precursor. The preparation of traditional FTS catalysts is usually based on the introduction of the active metal by impregnation or co-precipitation. These methods imply a multistage process, operations at high temperatures and the exhaust of harmful emissions. This paper presents the process of co-extrusion and the results of testing the catalysts manufactured by this method. A comparative analysis of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis parameters is presented for the catalysts, which are identical in composition but different in the manufacturing method and selected initial salt. It is shown that the use of coextrusion of the components of the support and the cobalt precursor allows to increase the activity of the catalyst in the synthesis by 2 times - from 53 to 101 μmol СО / (c•g Co ). In addition, the proposed method reduces the cost of the catalyst due to, firstly, reducing the number of technological stages (eliminating two-stage impregnation), and secondly, due to no heat treatment stages in the process. In addition, the proposed process for obtaining a catalyst allows to reduce the amount of environmentally harmful emissions, namely, the emission of NO<sub>2</sub>, which is inevitable in case of impregnation by cobalt nitrate precursor solution. The emission of NO<sub>2</sub> is reduced to zero as compared to 16 kg of NO<sub>2</sub> per 100 kg of the impregnated catalyst.