PARC > Technical Services Pilot Plants > Gas-to-Liquids GTL

Gas-To-Liquids Pilot Plant Services

GTL Bench Scale and Pilot Plant Process Facilities

GTL, Gas-To-Liquids, Fischer-Tropsch Processing:

Franz Fischer and Hans Tropsch produced higher gaseous, liquid and solid aliphatic hydrocarbons in 1923 by passing synthesis gas over iron or cobalt catalysts(1).  Current Gas-To-Liquids (GTL) processes consist of several basic processing steps, but steps can be combined or skipped (2,3,4).

1. Optional separation of oxygen from air in an air separation unit (ASU) for synthesis gas production.
2. Optional separation of impurities, such as sulfur, from natural gas.
3. Natural gas reforming to procuce synthesis gas via one of four processes: (1) Autothermal reforming(ATR), (2) Compact reforming (CP), (3) Catalytic partial oxidation (CAT Pox), (4) Non-catalytic partial oxidation (Pox).  The basic reaction is:

   
   CH4 + 1/2 O2 -> 2H2 + CO

4. Optional synthesis gas purification to remove CO2 and any additional sulfur compounds.
5. Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to produce a wide product slate:

   2n H2 + N CO -> (-CH2-)n + n H2O

   The product slate consists of waxes, high-cetane diesel fuel, aromatics-free jet fuel, highly paraffinic naphtha and petrochemicals.

6. Product upgrading which usually involves hydro-cracking and hydro-isomerization.

Two types of reactors are used in commercial Fischer-Tropsch sinthesis (2):

1. Tubular fixed-bed reactors (TFBR) and
2. Slurry bubble column reactors (SBCR)

Commercial GTL technologies have been developed by several companies using either iron- or cobalt- based catalysts (2).

Intertek PARC provides advanced expertise for pilot-plant evaluations and studies of the Fischer-Tropsch conversion of synthetic gas streams to hydrocarbon liquids products.  The following Intertek PARC pilot plants and test units are available to simulate GTL processing:

• Intertek PARC at this time does not have a reforming  unit to produce synthesis gas.  The CO and H2 are metered separately into the pilot plant.  The CO is purchased in single cylinders, 12-packs or a tube trailer depending on the amount required.  Synthesis gas impurities can be metered upon request to simulate commercial operation.  Certificates of analysis of the gased are available upon request.

• Intertek PARC has three types of F-T reactors:
  1. Jacketed Tubular fixed-bed reactors (JBTR)
     • 2.5 ft by 7/16" ID reactor
     • Cooled & heated by circulating oil system.
  2. Slurry bubble column reactors (SBCR)
     • 3 ft by 1" ID 'primary' reactor
     • 10 ft by 1" ID 'alternate' reactor
  3. Continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR)
     • Two one liter units
• In addition, Intertek PARC has extensive, but separate, capabilities for product upgrading using an array of hydro-processing units.

Around-the-clock unit pilot plant and micro-reactor operation and analytical control permits timely, cost-effective and accurate technology evaluations. The micro-reactors employ up-to-date automation including on-stream analyzers, computer data logging and material balance documentation. Initial evaluations focus on the selection of a promising FT catalyst and then proceed to process demonstration and production of sufficient product samples for testing in certain Intertek PARC engines and transmissions for performance quality.

References:

1. Pines, H., "The Chemistry of Catalytic Hydrocarbon Conversions", Academic press, NY, 1981, p276.
2. Song, Y.L., and Burke, B.F., Hydrocarbon Engineering, July, 2006, pp 12-16.
3. Dybkjaer, I., Hydrocarbon Engineering, July, 2006, pp 33-36.
4. Pavone, T., Gas, 2007, pp 25-28.

Related Pilot Plant Services for Petrochemicals and other non-hydroprocessing applications:

• Gas Feed Only
• Liquid Feed Only
• Liquid and Gas Feed
  

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