Abstract
This report provides an account and evaluative assessment of advances in technology for manufacturing liquid energy fuels from synthesis gas (hydrogen and carbon oxides) and suggests opportunities for future research on installating practical processes. The report summarizes significant progress achieved for synthesis of oxygenate and hydrocarbon fuels on all technological levels-scientificresearch, engineering development, and pioneering plant installations. Improved synthesis technology provided by novel catalysts, innovative engineering for plant simplification, and methodology for coproduction of chemicals or electricity are reviewed for oxygenate fuels. For hydrogen fuels, improvements achieved by utilizing fixed fluid-bed synthesis, a novel combination of middle distillatesynthesis plus hydrocracking, and promising slurry-phase operation are reviewed. The report also summarizes new understanding of the chemistry of syngas catalysis, including economic considerations with new emphasis on fuel performance values; opportunities to improve synfuel economics by technology; and specific opportunities for future research. Manufacture of syngas from coal, gas, or biomassis not part of this study.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 186 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1993 |
Bibliographical note
Work performed by Catalytic Science and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DelawareNREL Publication Number
- NREL/TP-421-5150
Keywords
- hydrocarbon fuels
- liquid energy fuels
- oxygenate fuels
- synfuels
- syngas catalysis
- synthesis gas conversion