Liquid Phase Methanol Laporte Process Development Unit: Research and Engineering Support Studies Topical Report Task 3.4: Adsorbent Evaluation for Removal of Catalyst Poisons from Synthesis Gas Contractor

Energy, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, mark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The vfews and opinfons of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Abstract Operation of a methanol synthesis reactor in the liquid phase requires an efficient catalyst poison removal system. A number of commercially available adsorbents were screened for their ability to remove the following methanol catalyst poisons: Fe(CO),-, Ni(C0)4, COS, HZS, and HCl. Adsorption isotherms were measured at various carrier gas pressures and two temperatures on several adsorbents, including active carbons, zeolites, alumina, silica gel, metal oxide impregnated active carbons, metal oxide promoted zinc oxide, metal oxide promoted alumina, and spent methanol catalyst. By monitoring the approach to equilibrium as a function of time, mass transfer coefficients for the adsorption of these trace impurities were also determined. From this adsorbent screening, the preferred adsorbent for removal of each catalyst poison was identified. The equilibrium and kinetic adsorptive properties for each poison/adsorbent system were used to design a poison removal scheme. This design will be tested in a pilot unit using coal gas from a commercial gasifier.