Fischer-Tropsch Catalyst for Aviation Fuel Production

The Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is considered to be an alternative process to produce liquid hydrocarbons in an environmentally sustainable way by using synthesis gas obtained from renewable resources. The combination of acid catalysts, such as zeolites, with Fischer-Tropsch catalysts could lead to an increase in the selectivity to an specific range of hydrocarbons, such as synthetic paraffinic kerosene. Therefore, the conversion of synthesis gas in hydrocarbons within kerosene range using catalytic dual beds formed by a potassium-cobalt-promoted iron and zeolites H-ZSM-5 and H-ZSM-12 has been studied. The reactions have been carried out at 250�C, 20 bar in a stacked fixed dual bed using synthesis gas with a H2:CO molar ratio of 2 during 60 hours. The selectivity towards C9-C16 hydrocarbons was increased from 25% using the FT catalyst without zeolite, and up to 30% by using zeolites H-ZSM-5 or H-ZSM-12 with a Si/Al of 30 and 60, respectively. The results allowed the development of a reaction scheme suitable to design a tunable process for the synthesis gas conversion.

Synthesis and chracterization of nanocasted mesoporous materials to improve the activity and kerosene selectivity in Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis.