Nova Analytical Systems: #112 - Fischer-Tropsch Process Applications

In the last year or so, we have had a few inquiries about providing analyzer systems for measuring the gases produced by Fischer-Tropsch (FT) processes. The FT process is a series of chemical reactions that produces liquid hydrocarbons from carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2) in the presence of a metallic catalyst.

In the inquiries we have received, the FT process temperature is usually below 300°C with some variants running just a little more than common room temperature. Pressure is usually high – approximately 20-40 bar (300-600psi).

The FT process can produce synthetic lubrication oil and fuel from coal, natural gas, biomass, and other sources of carbon. If the feedstock is a solid, it must first be converted to a gas by the gasification process. Synthesis gas obtained from gasification may require some adjustments to the CO / H2 ratio in order to be utilized in an FT process.

FT plants tend to be associated with high capital costs and high operation & maintenance costs. Reliable availability of feedstocks plays a role in the economic viability of FT plants. Our most recent inquiry was from a company who has developed a more modular and portable FT reactor for smaller scale fuel production. This approach may lead to additional growth in FT applications.

All known FT inquiries to Nova so far have required analysis of CO / CO2 / CH4 / H2 in a single instrument in either portable or permanent-mount configurations.

Ranges required:

CO: 0-40.0 %

CO2: 0-10.0%

CH4: 0-10.0%

H2: 0-70.0%

The sample gas is always free of acids, NH3, and other corrosive byproducts that might harm the detectors in the analyzer.* Because it is a high pressure process, the sample extraction point generally has a regulator. However, the analyzer needs to have regulator also.

The formation of methane is usually undesirable in the FT process, so the requested CH4 ranges tend to be 0-10.0% or less. There may be trace amounts of other gaseous hydrocarbons. These will probably condense out if the customer has a chiller installed before the gas analyzer. The pressure drop and the chiller will also remove any moisture in the gas.

We have sold the Model 970 in portable and permanent-mount formats into FT applications.