Analysis of Three-Phase Catalytic Fuel Synthesis Reactors for Flexible Operation

In future energy systems, flexible reactor operation may be needed if electricity produced from renewable sources is to be converted into chemical energy carriers (synfuels). Factors limiting the flexibility in a synfuel process can occur on different scales (catalyst, reactor, process). The present study addresses transient catalyst and reactor effects in three-phase catalytic synthesis reactors with low-temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis as an example reaction. A method was developed based on lab-scale experiments with step changes and periodic changes of inlet variables and mathematical models for experimental design and data analysis. Changes of inlet variables such as the feed-gas flow, syngas H-2/CO ratio, and temperature led, in some cases, to transient effects caused by catalyst changes or by reactor characteristics.