Enabling cellulosic diesel with microchannel technology

Abstract

The advantages of producing transportation fuels using microchannel technology for Fischer–Tropsch (FT)-based biomass to liquids are demonstrated using the Oxford Catalyst Group’s catalyst and reactor technology. Tests performed with high-activity catalysts in microchannel FT reactors across multiple scales with C5+ productivities, ranging from approximately 0.004 gallons per day to approximately 1.5 gallons per day, demonstrated equivalent process performance, as determined by the metrics of CO conversion, selectivity to byproducts and the chain growth probability (α). The catalyst and microchannel reactors showed excellent performance under conditions likely to be observed in a biomass-to-liquids facility (e.g., low H₂:CO ratio and high dilution) and also demonstrated very good stability and excellent robustness to process upsets. With these significant advantages, the microchannel FT technology is poised at the cusp of commercialization for enabling biomass-derived FT fuels.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

All authors are permanent employees of Velocys Inc. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.