“EFFECT OF REACTION CONDITIONS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF A NIOBIA-SUPPORTED IRON CATALYST IN FISCHER-TROPSCH”.

M.S. SANTOS; S. G. MARCHETTI; J.M.G. CARBALLO; L.A. CANO; M.V. CAGNOLI; J.F. BENGOA; J.L.G. FIERRO; M. DO CARMO RANGEL

Munich

Simposio; “International Symposium on Alternative Clean Synthetic Fuels”; 2012

A niobia-supported iron catalyst was prepared by impregnation of iron nitrate on a commercial niobia and evaluated in Fischer-Tropsch reaction, in different conditions, to obtain ethylene, a high value chemical. The solid was characterized by XRD, porosity measurements, TPR and XPS. The nature of phases under the reaction condition was studied by Mossbauer speclroscopy. Metallic iron, iron carbide (X-FesC,) and an iron and niobium oxide (FeNb20,) were found in reduced catalyst. The catalyst was active both at 1 and 10 barr and selective to olefins; more propene than ethene was obtained. The catalyst activation under hydrogen and the use of 10 barr is the best condition to obtain olefins.