Solubility and Mass Transfer Paramaters of Gases in Polyalphaolefins Under Fischer-Tropsch Conditions

The interest in Fisher-Tropsch (F-T) process is currently rising since it represents a promising alternative to increasing crude oil prices. The F-T synthesis enjoys several advantages, such as enabling on-site exploitation of remote natural gas reservoirs by converting natural gas into “easier-to-transport” synthetic liquids, and producing environmentally clean fuels. The proper design, modeling and scale-up of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis require, among others, precise knowledge of the factors controlling the overall reaction, such as the reaction kinetics, hydrodynamics, and heat/mass transfer parameters.

The main objective of this project is to measure the volumetric mass transfer coefficients (kLa) and equilibrium gas solubility (C*) for several gases (N2, He, CO2, CO, H2 and H2/CO mixtures) in a Polyalphaolefins (PAO8) in a gas-inducing reactor (GIR), operating under typical F-T synthesis conditions. The effect of operating variables, including pressure (6-31 bar) and temperature (25-230 °C) on kLa and C* are being investigated.