Microchannel Reactor for Hydrocarbon Fuel Synthesis from CO2 Catalytic Hydrogenation

Abstract

[Introduction] CO2 catalytic hydrogenation for fuel synthesis is an economically feasible and large-scale implementable technology for CO2 utilization, which can solve the problems of environment and resource shortage, and has gained wide attention in recent years. In this work, a microchannel reactor for CO2 catalytic hydrogenation to synthesize hydrocarbon fuels is developed. [Method] Based on the design concept of thermodynamic calculation, catalyst preparation, reactor design, structure optimization and performance testing, an anlysis was carried out. [Result] The thermodynamic analysis shows that hydrocarbon fuels can be produced from CO2 catalytic hydrogenation. Six iron-based catalysts are developed to improve the reaction rate of hydrocarbon fuel synthesis. Based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation, the structure of the microchannel reactor is designed and optimized. The microchannel reactor has the advantages of simple-compact structure and strong heat-mass transfer capability. The experimental results show that the Zn-Fe catalyst exhibits the best performance of CO2 catalytic hydrogenation for the synthesis of low-carbon olefins. CO2 conversion and low-carbon olefins selectivity are 32% and 44% respectively. [Conclusion] The microchannel reactor designed in this work has the dual functions of CO2 utilization for hydrocarbon fuel synthesis, which is of great significance to China's response to climate change, the realization of the dual-carbon target and the development of hydrocarbon fuel industry.

Keywords

• carbon dioxide
• hydrocarbon fuels
• catalytic hydrogenation
• microchannel reactor
• iron-based catalysts